


Baby Makes Three

by shyfoxes



Series: It Takes a Village [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: AU, Accidental Baby Acquisition, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Babysitting, Dorks, Established Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Kozume Kenma - Freeform, M/M, Sawamura Daichi - Freeform - Freeform, Tanaka Saeko - Freeform, Ushijima Wakatoshi - Freeform, akaashi keiji - Freeform, azumane asahi - Freeform, shimizu kiyoko - Freeform, trying to parent, yaku morisuke - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-22
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-05-15 13:39:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 22,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5787268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shyfoxes/pseuds/shyfoxes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“He's so small, Kuroo, I could hold him with one hand, but I won't cause I don't want to drop him,” Bokuto went on. “Oh man, do you think we can get Akaashi to get him a tiny Fukurodani jersey to wear?”</p><p>Kuroo paused then. “First of all, you're not putting him in a Fukurodani jersey. He's wearing Nekoma or he's going butt naked. Second, we can't keep him. We barely know how to take care of ourselves. We nearly electrocuted ourselves with the toaster last week.”</p><p>Bokuto finds a baby and brings him home to Kuroo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

There are many things about Bokuto that Kuroo personally liked. He spoke what was on his mind, he wasn't afraid to go and get what he wanted, and he had a similarly shitty sense of humor like Kuroo did. But here, right now, in their little apartment with the cat that crept in through the kitchen window when it felt like it, and Bokuto looking so self satisfying with a baby in his arms, Kuroo begged to differ.

“Please tell me you're not going to be on the news for kidnapping,” Kuroo said, almost seriously.

“No, bro, of course not!” Bokuto said, hushing himself halfway through when the baby stirred. He shifted his arms so the little head was supported more. A shock of bright orange hair peeked out from Bokuto's jacket wrapped around him. “Isn't he cute?”

“He's adorable, but where did you _get_ him?” Kuroo said losing patience.

Bokuto actually looked sheepish and began pacing around the living room as he cradled the baby. Seconds ticked by that Kuroo was actually surprised Bokuto was capable of remaining quiet for. The baby yawned in his arms and Bokuto broke down into a soft coo.

“ _Koutarou_ ,” Kuroo hissed.

“Okay, okay,” Bokuto said. “I found him. Someone ditched him by the dumpster behind the grocery store. I found him when I was locking up for Mrs. Sanada.”

Bokuto did a bit of gentle shimmying until he produced a worn, folded piece of paper from his back pocket. In hurried, smudged writing was a note detailing that the mother couldn't keep on trying to support the child herself, she was barely even out of high school, and it was becoming too much for her. The paper relayed that the baby's name was Shouyou, he was five months old, and that she hoped whoever found him was kind. Kuroo wasn't sure if Shouyou was lucky or not to be found by Bokuto.

Kuroo looked away from the paper at baby Shouyou, then up at Bokuto's face. Goddammit all he was already smitten with the kid, Kuroo could see that. Kuroo pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked up through his bangs.

“Bo -”

“Kuroo, come here, come here, you have to see this,” Bokuto said, beelining for Kuroo anyway. Kuroo grunted when Bokuto's elbow collided with his stomach, but looked down at the kid anyway. He hadn't stirred despite how excited Bokuto was.

Bokuto held up a finger and tapped Shouyou's little nose. A few moments later Shouyou wrinkled it before breaking into a full smile. Bokuto's expression brightened immensely and he had to hold back raucous laughter.

“That's not even half of it! He's got such a good grip!” Bokuto continued on. “He's got a set of lungs on him but he's so easy to calm down again!”

“Bokuto -”  Kuroo tried. Once Bokuto got going he didn't stop.

“He's so small, Kuroo, I could hold him with one hand, but I won't cause I don't want to drop him,” Bokuto went on. “Oh man, do you think we can get Akaashi to get him a tiny Fukurodani jersey to wear?”

Kuroo paused then. “First of all, you're not putting him in a Fukurodani jersey. He's wearing Nekoma or he's going butt naked. _Second_ , we can't keep him. We barely know how to take care of ourselves. We nearly electrocuted ourselves with the toaster last week.”

“But, but, but, Kuroo, look at him. So small, so helpless, with no one to take care of him -”

“That's why we'll take him to the hospital -”

“No one to dress him up in jerseys, no super cool dads to take him around the park or bench press him with -”

“He's a _baby_ not a lapdog,” Kuroo cut in. “We barely even know how to take care of the cat. It's a good thing it only shows up when it wants to.”

Bokuto backed Kuroo up to a wall, cradling Shouyou up so he was almost eye level with Kuroo. He blinked his eyes open for a brief moment before grinning at Kuroo and dozing back to sleep. Kuroo's face twisted horribly. His resolve was crumbling. Beside him Bokuto's eye brows were bouncing up and down.

“God, why does he have to be so cute,” Kuroo muttered. “Fine! We'll keep him for as long as we can. I took a semester off anyway to find a job, so I'll watch him during the day. But the minute he starts wailing at night he's _your_ problem.”

Bokuto's eyes almost became literal stars, and he took great care in pressing Shouyou against him. Then he gently passed him off to Kuroo who started cursing under his breath as he nervously took a hold of him. Bokuto rocked back on his heels a moment before leaning forward and planting a wet smack of a kiss to Kuroo's face.

“Thanks! Now I can go and buy his formula and diapers and stuff,” Bokuto said. “Don't you two stop being cute.” He winked for good measure.

Kuroo looked down at Shouyou and shook his head. “If it kills me, I'm not going to let you wind up like _that_. I'm going to make sure you turn out cool.”

Shouyou yawned.

-

After a clean diaper and a good bottle of milk, Shouyou surprisingly slept the whole night through. Bokuto had reasoned that he'd probably cried himself out on the way home. It had been chilly and Shouyou had probably been getting hungry and the lack of presence of his parent was finally kicking in.

They didn't have a crib and just looking online was enough for Kuroo to choke on his cereal. They had to make due with propping up a drawer and gently planting Shouyou in. Contrary to what he had said, Kuroo didn't sleep much the night. They'd originally rented a two bedroom apartment, but as things with them had gone, Kuroo ended up far too many times in Bokuto's room to bother going back much unless he was too peeved with sleep beside him.

Only now, Shouyou was sleeping in Bokuto's room, and Bokuto slept like the dead. Kuroo shoved Bokuto's head aside in the middle of the night until he had turned over in his sleep and curiously watched Shouyou. He watched him shift slightly, make a little noise, but otherwise remain asleep. Kuroo wasn't even sure when he'd gone to bed himself before Bokuto was hiss-whispering at him to wake up and greet Shouyou.

“He's even cuter when he's awake,” Kuroo muttered. “Sooner or later, though, we'll have to inform the police and child services and stuff.”

Bokuto waved a hand, having gone a little crazy while Kuroo and Shouyou had been asleep (knowing for a fact that Kuroo was a much lighter sleeper, and would rise at the drop of a pin, hence why he liked to sleep with his pillow jammed on either side of his head), and it would be fine to leave for a tiny bit. He'd naturally come back with a few dozen baby clothes and blankets. He put the ones a cat pattern one on Shouyou, pulling the ear-hat over his wild orange hair.

“I had to settle for this one,” Bokuto said, grumpy. “There was this cool one with big owl eyes on it but it was sold out so I got this instead.”

Kuroo scoffed. “It's fate. It's saying, _'Bokuto, don't ruin a child so young, its not worth it'_ ”.

Bokuto flipped him off behind Shouyou. He turned to start making himself breakfast. Kuroo scooped up some of Shouyou's baby food and brought it up towards Shouyou's mouth. Shouyou took one look at it and clamped up.

“Come on, Shrimpy,” Kuroo said. “It's good for you. Open up.”

Shouyou turned his head away, resolute. Kuroo veered the spoon around and Shouyou turned his head the other way. Kuroo sighed before glancing at Bokuto.

“Kou, come here,” Kuroo called with a wave of his hand. Bokuto turned on his heel and knelt by him.

“What's u – AUGH!”

Kuroo shoved the food into Bokuto's mouth and pinched his nose to force him to swallow. Beside them Shouyou erupted into a fit of giggles. When Kuroo produced a spoon of food for him he ate it up quickly.

“See, Kiddo? Daddy likes it,” Kuroo cooed.

“You're the worst,” Bokuto grumbled. “Wait, I thought I was Papa.” Kuroo smiled at him smugly, waving the spoon of food threateningly at him before letting Shouyou gobble it down.

Kuroo's grin was shit-eating as he rose to throw away the food carton. He bent down and hissed in Bokuto's ear, “The only one who can call me Daddy is you.” And walked off. (Kuroo was glad he had had his back turned though because he was literally choking on his own spit after saying that. They had tried that once and it had ended so badly, holy shit). It was almost worth the embarrassment when Bokuto made such a dying sound.

Bokuto groaned into Shouyou's belly, effectively making him laugh, as he muttered on about how unfair Kuroo was.

-

“You have a baby,” Was the first thing Akaashi said when he came over later that day. “You two won't be on the news for this will you?”

“Kuroo already used that one, Akaashi!” Bokuto said, bouncing Shouyou on his knee. “And, no, someone abandoned him by the grocery store.”

“Have you reported it in yet? About him?” Akaashi said. He brushed at Shouyou's curly hair with his sleek fingers. When Shouyou tilted back to laugh and smile at him, Kuroo knew Akaashi was a goner. Bokuto held Shouyou up by his armpits out at Akaashi

“Hold him, _Uncle Keiji_ ,” Bokuto said. “He's a good guy. He takes after me.”

“You've barely had him a day,” Akaashi replied, cradling Shouyou against his chest. He rocked him, bouncing on his knees as Shouyou gurgled. “The world doesn't need two of you, Bokuto-san.”

“Akaashi!” Bokuto said, scandalized.

“To answer your question, no,” Kuroo piped in, shielding a yawn. “We were gonna do it tomorrow. We figured he'd been through enough to go do all of that so soon.”

Akaashi glanced down at Shouyou and nodded. “That's true. If you do get to take care of him, bring him over. My cousin has a baby just a little bit older than him. Maybe they'll get along.”

“Oh ho?” Bokuto started. Akaashi rolled his eyes.

“Oh ho ho? You mean Kenma? Yeah, Shouyou might like him,” Kuroo said. “Maybe we can bet which one of them can crawl the fastest. My money's on Shouyou. He's already trying to follow after Bokuto.”

Akaashi scoffed, “Kenma may not like to move much but I'm sure he'll beat Shouyou any day.”

“Loser buys a box of diapers!” Bokuto cried.

In the end neither baby won because they both found the other too interesting to bother. Kenma kept petting Shouyou's hair, and Shouyou kept tugging on Kenma's shirt. Despite all of Kuroo's encouragement, only Kenma had crawled to him and fallen asleep in his lap. Shouyou was content to teeth on the toy ring Akaashi had gifted him.

-

Kuroo woke up in the middle of the night to Shouyou's wailing. Beside him Bokuto had disappeared and was out in the hallway shushing and rocking him. Shouyou cried louder, grabbing the ends of Bokuto's hair and tugging as his little face turned red. Kuroo sat up on his elbows, listening briefly to Bokuto mumbling to him and patting his back. Eventually, however, Shouyou began to calm, little head tucked against Bokuto's shoulder, as Bokuto came back into the room.

“Bring him over here,” Kuroo called.

He reached out and took Shouyou from Bokuto's arms. He gathered the baby up and laid him out across his chest. He ran his fingers through Shouyou's soft hair. Bokuto took great care into sliding in next to him, propped up by an elbow on his side.

“I didn't think he'd ever stop,” Bokuto said. “I told you he had a good set of lungs.”

“He gets that from you,” Kuroo said, off-handedly.

Bokuto grinned, impish. “Then he gets the big appetite from you. He nearly tried to steal my meat today.”

“Still you,” Kuroo said yawning. “...He's drooling on me.”

“He gets _that_ from you,” Bokuto said. “Why do you think I keep a towel in the bed?”

“Shut up, you'll wake, Shouyou,” Kuroo growsed. Bokuto yawned and made Kuroo yawn again.

“You know, that's the first you've said his name these last two days. It's just been 'kid' and 'shrimp',” Bokuto murmured. He petted the back of Shouyou's hair. “Papa likes you after all, huh, Shouyou?”

Kuroo didn't bother to answer. He had one baby drooling on his chest, and sooner or later another one drooling on his shoulder. It was kind of strange that he was so okay with this.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original here! -----> http://cheshire-ree.tumblr.com/post/136995725433/hes-so-small-kuroo-i-could-hold-him-with-one
> 
> Don't keep your babies in drawers. Don't be Bokuto and Kuroo. After they report Shouyou to child services and luck out and get to adopt him, they do invest in a crib. This just shows the two days they've had him before getting serious. Please imagine Shouyou's first day of daycare when Kuroo gets a job and Bokuto styles his hair up like him.
> 
> Also. Kuroo isn't cool. He's a dork. I didn't write him dorky enough but know he's a dork and maybe just slightly less so than Bokuto. Slightly. Maybe I'll continue?
> 
> Written for fun because somehow I got into a writing funk. Any errors on babies are my own. Any errors at all are my own. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I was thinking. Doesn't Kuroo Shouyou sound good?” Kuroo said.
> 
> Bokuto looked at him incredulously, then back to Shouyou. He shook his head furiously.
> 
> “Are you sick, bro? Bokuto Shouyou is where it's at! Rolls right off the tongue,” Bokuto said.
> 
> Bokuto and Kuroo get to keep Shouyou.

The first thing Bokuto and Kuroo did when they got the news about keeping Shouyou was scream and holler until the grad student across the hall came banging at them to shut up. Kuroo leapt into Bokuto's arms, legs wrapping around his waist. Bokuto spun, whooping as he dug his fingers into the back of Kuroo's shirt and into his wild hair. Bokuto misstepped, falling flat on his back, rolling them as tears started to collect at the corner of his eyes. Bokuto pushed back Kuroo's bangs.

“We get to keep Shouyou,” Bokuto said “We have a _kid_. Shouyou is _ours_.”

Kuroo pecked the inside of Bokuto's wrist.

“Yeah, we do,” Kuroo said.

Bokuto screwed his eyes shut before shoving Kuroo off and giving a whooping holler. Their neighbor kicked the door furiously.

-

The second thing Bokuto and Kuroo did was attempt to get the crib donated to them by a friend of a friend who's younger sibling was switching out their crib for a new bed. Through express delivery by a girl called “Nee-san”, the rib came intact, and maybe a bit scratched downstairs. The girl was sucking on a lollipop and a thumb jabbing towards the half-open trunk where the crib was tied up and half hanging out of.

Akaashi cradled Shouyou on his hip when the girl slapped Bokuto and Kuroo each on their backs about getting it out themselves.

“I'm Saeko. But you, little guy, can call me Nee-san,” She said, taking a hold of each of Shouyou's chubby cheeks.

Shouyou giggled, little hands gripping Saeko's fingers. Saeko swooned, kissing his face all over.

“Ahh, he's almost as cute as my little brother,” Saeko said, sighing. “Ryu is a mega cutie. Maybe I'll bring him over to play.”

“Would you like that, Shouyou?” Akaashi cooed, bouncing him a little. Shouyou grinned, pressing his nose into Akaashi's cheek. “I think he agrees.”

Saeko pulled her lollipop out with a pop. “Great!” She looked over her shoulder and Bokuto and Kuroo. “How are you two doing?”

Kuroo had hit his head on the trunk door and nearly crushed Bokuto's foot when they finally dislodged it from the van. They moved back slowly, setting it down on the ground with a groan. They looked over at the stairs to where they lived on the second floor. Bokuto knocked his forehead to the wooden frame.

“Is it too late to move, bro?” He groaned.

Kuroo only slapped him on the back and shook his head. “I'm afraid so, bro,” he said.

They each took a side and began the slow ascent to the second floor. Bokuto nearly dropped it on Kuroo's foot twice; once on accident, once on purpose. When they've finally gotten it up, they had a hard time getting it through the door, Kuroo nearly crushing Bokuto against the door. They dropped it in the middle of their living room, and fell back into the couch.

“Leave it there,” Bokuto said, breathing hard. “He'll just sleep with us tonight anyway.”

Kuroo slumped against his side. He looked between the bars at Akaashi seated at their little dining table feeding Shouyou. He opened his mouth imitating eating the food and Shouyou did the same. Akaashi wiped at the bit of food at his cheek. Shouyou wriggled his nose then smiled up at Akaashi who smiled back, easy and slow. Kuroo leaned back a little more so he could look at Bokuto better.

“I was thinking. Doesn't Kuroo Shouyou sound good?” Kuroo said.

Bokuto looked at him incredulously, then back to Shouyou. He shook his head furiously.

“Are you sick, bro? Bokuto Shouyou is where it's at! Rolls right off the tongue,” Bokuto said.

“In what universe does that roll off the tongue? I'd sooner let him take Sawamura's name,” Kuroo griped.

Kuroo jabbed him in the side, and Bokuto jabbed back. Kuroo narrowed his eyes, digging his bony elbow just under Bokuto's ribs. Bokuto made a dying noise and dug his elbow into Kuroo's thigh. They fell off the couch trying to out do each other. Across the room Akaashi rolled his eyes.

“I'm going to have to visit you more often it seems, Shouyou,” Akaashi muttered.

-

At a quarter to six, Kuroo had filled up the kitchen sink with warm water. He meticulously checked and rechecked the temperature, afraid he'd made it too hot for Shouyou. Shouyou sat, messy-faced with food in his hair in his newly acquired, second-hand high chair.

“Well, Shou, we'll just have to wing it,” Kuroo told him.

He lifted him from the high chair, stripping his messy clothes and gently placing him in the water. Shouyou splashed him, laughing when Kuroo scrunched his face in surprise. Kuroo cupped some water in his hand, gently dropping it across the top of Shouyou's head and wetting his hair. He kept a gentle hand on him as he lather his hair up. He parted Shouyou's bright orange hair in two an then smoothed it out and curled the ends. Kuroo stepped back a moment and laughed. He snapped a picture and sent it off to Bokuto before pocketing the phone.

Nearly two minutes into gently scrubbing Shouyou down in the sink and Kuroo could feel his back pocket going off, the two-tone chime overlapping with each continuous message.. It was probably Bokuto freaking out about how Kuroo had styled his hair to match Bokuto's signature owl look.

Kuroo pressed a kiss to Shouyou's forehead. He'd never tire of how soft babies were.

“Your daddy is probably showing every single customer in that grocery store that picture, Kiddo,” Kuroo said. “He'll probably have it framed tomorrow.”

Kuroo pulled the plug on the drain and wrapped Shouyou up in his hooded towel. Kuroo figured Bokuto deserved a treat for working the late shift every night at the grocery store. He slipped Shouyou into the owl onesie he'd found the other day. Little colorful, winking owls adorned Shouyou's clothes, each with a little speech bubble with a multicolored “HOOT!” next to it. Kuroo fit Shouyou into the curve of his arm as he flipped channels with his free hand.

“Hey, Shou, how do you feel about Ponyo?” Kuroo asked.

Shouyou squealed; “Ponyo it is, then,” Kuroo replied.

-

When Bokuto came home, Shouyou was sleeping soundly on Kuroo's chest where they were laying on the couch. His little fists were gripping the fabric of Kuroo's shirt, head turned to the side sleeping peacefully. Kuroo ran his long fingers through the baby's hair. Kuroo grinned up at Bokuto from where he was planted by the door, simply staring at them like he'd seen the best thing since volleyball.

“You gonna stay there all night, Bo?” Kuroo called. “Don't you want to hold him a bit before we gotta go to bed?”

Bokuto scratched his nose. He quietly closed the door behind him, toeing off his shoes and dropping his bags to the ground. He crept up to them and then dropped to his knees to brush a broad thumb across Shouyou's chubby cheek.

“How long do you think until he starts to talk?” Bokuto asked. “I bet he'll say Dada before he says Papa.”

Kuroo scoffed; “There's no way. I spend the most time with him in the days. I'll get him to say Papa and Nekoma is the best before you even have a chance.”

Bokuto pouted, catching a small chunk of Shouyou's hair between his fingers and twirling it. He could tie them up into little pigtails now that he thought about it. Akaashi had pinned back Kenma's bangs the other day with a strawberry hairpin.

“You can say that after Nekoma finally beats Fukurodani,” Bokuto quipped, his grin shit-eating.

“Take your kid and get out of my sight,” Kuroo said, turning his face away.

Bokuto snickered, gently picking Shouyou up from Kuroo's chest and cradling him against his own. Shouyou barely stirred. Bokuto pecked Kuroo on his cheek and headed for the bedroom. Shimizu from two doors down had dropped off a big, fluffy pillow for Shouyou before he'd left for work. He gently laid Shouyou down and began to change. A few minutes later Kuroo joined him and they both quietly slid into bed.

Bokuto looked over across from Shouyou's little body to Kuroo's lidded eyes, ready to drop off any moment. Bokuto brushed aside Kuroo's hair from his face.

“Good job today, Papa,” Bokuto joked.

“Thanks, Daddy,” Kuroo said around a yawn. He chuckled tiredly at Bokuto's faint embarrassment, evident even in the dark of their room.

Shouyou thankfully slept through the night.

-

“Kuroo! Kuroooo!”

Kuroo buried his face further between his pillows. Bokuto's calling became more loud and obnoxious the more Kuroo tried to become one with the bed. He heard the heavy padding of Bokuto's feet on the carpeted floor. He wondered if Ushijima below them was pissed with the way Bokuto stepped so heavy sometimes.

“Tetsurou! _”_ Bokuto exclaimed. “Get up, Tetsu! You have to see this!”

Kuroo peeked out from his pillow mountain to glare at Bokuto. “What?” He grumbled, voice gravelly.

Bokuto waved his phone, a blurry picture of Shouyou flashing at him. Kuroo reluctantly sat up on his elbows. Bokuto glanced down the hall a moment before pressing up into Kuroo's space. He beamed brightly.

“Remember when we tried to get Kenma and Shouyou to race? And only Kenma could crawl?” Bokuto said rapidly. Kuroo nodded, barely keeping up, still sleep addled. “So, Akaashi said that maybe Shouyou wasn't ready to crawl yet afterwards, he's still just stiffening out his legs like he wants to walk instead! But he did it Kuroo! He _crawled.”_

Kuroo's eyes flew wide open. “No way,” He whispered.

“Yes! He did! I dropped a french fry and he crawled his way over! I just barely got it away from him,” Bokuto said.

“Oh damn, that's so great. That's - “ Kuroo paused. “You left him unattended.”

“Yeah?”

“We haven't baby-proofed the apartment yet!” Kuroo yelled.

Kuroo scrambled out of bed in time to see Shouyou weaving his way around the dining table. Bokuto scooped him up and deposited him in the high chair. Kuroo jabbed him in the side with the side of his hand.

The third thing Kuroo and Bokuto did was baby-proof the apartment.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original here
> 
>  
> 
> This certainly took a while. I had a general premise but it wasn't coming out when I tried to rough draft it. I have a good chunk of the characters listed out, and I'd be happy to share the list with you guys! Or you can wait and find out in the future installments.
> 
> Either way, this was a lot of fun to write. The friend of a friend who donates the crib is Takeru from Wakunan with the tons of siblings. The friend who asks him for it is Daichi. You should expect for second and first year characters to be babies/kiddies in this AU. Everyone else should be adults.
> 
> Also, Yuki_no_Utsukushisa suggested a thing with Daichi and Karasuno jersey! That should more than likely happen in the next installment, and more charas should be introduced then, too. I'm still trying to figure this AU out myself, so I hope you'll excuse any errors or inconsistencies on my part. Feel free to point them out to me! I'll be more than happy to properly fix them.
> 
> Comments, questions, critiques, or headcanons send em my way!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shouyou gets sick.

The first sneeze hadn't really worried Kuroo much when he heard it. He had been cleaning out the apartment that day. With all the dust flying around while he was sweeping while Bokuto was busy scrubbing down the bathroom, he hadn't thought much of it if Shouyou sneezed a little.

In fact it was pretty cute. Kuroo had been disinfecting the furniture and putting things in order, he caught sight of Shouyou wrinkling his little nose from the corner of his eye. He turned in time to see him screw his eyes shut and inhale big before sneezing, the sound like an angry kitten. Kuroo had laughed, before grimacing and fishing out a handkerchief from his back pocket to wipe up the glob of snot hanging from Shouyou's nose. (As cute as Shouyou was, some things were impossible to view through rose-colored glasses).

So, content with the idea that Shouyou was entertained with his newest teething ring in the grand pile of teething rings he now owned, and some cutesy educational kids show playing in the background, Kuroo went back to work.

Only, when Bokuto came back from a quick lunch run at a shop just around the corner, Shouyou's nose was still running. He was also starting to get more fussy and irritated. Even when Bokuto was making faces at him, all Shouyou did was scrunch up his face and let a fresh trail of tears begin to fall. Any attempts to feed him were quickly thwarted. He was having none of it, volleyball noises be damned. Then the fussy crying began.

“Tetsu, he's burning up,” Bokuto murmured. “He's never this warm right? I know he's a ball of energy, but he's never this warm. Right, am I right?”

Kuroo pressed the back of his hand to Shouyou's forehead, frowning. He told Bokuto to wait a moment as he went to the bathroom and fished out the digital thermometer from the medicine cabinet. He came back and pulled Shouyou's shirt off before sticking the thermometer underneath his little arm and holding it there. When it began to beep, Kuroo pulled it away. He blanched.

“He's got a fever,” Kuroo said.

Shouyou began squirming in his high chair, reaching out little hands towards Bokuto as a fresh batch of tears streaked down his face. Bokuto gathered Shouyou up against him, rocking him in his arms as Shouyou whined a little more. When Shouyou coughed, Bokuto grimaced.

“Call Akaashi, he'll know what to do,” Bokuto said.

Kuroo fished out his phone from his pockets and scrolled to Akaashi's name in his contact list. He hit call and waited. Two rings later and Akaashi's voice came on the line.

 _“I hope this isn't about the jersey again,”_ Akaashi said. _“Because I haven't -”_

“Keiji, Shouyou's sick,” Kuroo said, cutting to the chase.

Over the line, Akaashi made an acknowledging sound. His phone shifted and a bit of cooing floated over the phone before he quickly came back on. He must have been at his grandparents house out in the country with his cousins and Kenma.

 _“I'm assuming its a cold, then?”_ Akaashi asked. _“His nose is runny and he's got a fever?”_

“Yeah, all of that. He's also really fussy. He's usually so mild. He won't even eat,” Kuroo murmured.

He watched as Bokuto tried to comfort Shouyou but to no avail. Shouyou's little face scrunched up in frustration. A fine sheen of sweat was covering his chest and legs. Bokuto hastily wiped at Shouyou's nose.

“ _Ah, that's normal,”_ Akaashi said. _“I know you're worried but it'll be okay. Now, you'll need to get a baby nasal cleaner and some baby tylenol for his fever.”_

“No cold medicine?” Kuroo asked, hurrying to the pad on the fridge to write down Akaashi's instructions.

 _“No, no cold medicine. You might want him to sweat it out, so keep him covered up for the next two days. It shouldn't last longer than that. He'll be too tired anyway, so he'll be sleeping for most of it. Wipe him down with room temperature water when he gets too sticky with sweat,”_ Akaashi added. _“Got that?”_

“Yeah, yeah,” Kuroo said. “Thanks, I – we really appreciate it.”

Akaashi hummed. _“Of course. I'm sorry I can't be there to help, but I'm not in Tokyo right now. But I'll keep my phone close.”_

“Got it. Kiss Kenma for me,” Kuroo joked, then hung up.

He went back to the living room, watching as Bokuto stroked Shouyou's damp hair as he slept fitfully in Bokuto's arms. Bokuto looked up at him, eyebrows drawn up in concern as he looked between Kuroo and the baby. Kuroo cracked a reassuring smile, and waved the notepad.

“Akaashi saved our asses again, you know,” Kuroo joked.

Bokuto took the bait, smiling a bit himself. He laid back against the couch, Shouyou secured in the crook of his arm as Kuroo moved towards the door to slip on his shoes. Bokuto wiped at his eye tiredly, as he regarded Kuroo again.

“We should buy him somethin', like a gift basket,” Bokuto said. “A gift basket full of knee pads and volleyballs.”

“People usually put fruit and thank you cards,” Kuroo shot back.

“Akaashi lives alone! Who's he going to share all that fruit with? Knee pads make much more sense. Stock him up for a couple months.”

“Yeah, yeah. I'll be back, Kou, don't freak out while I'm gone. I'll be quick,” Kuroo said.

Bokuto nodded, waving absently with his free hand. Kuroo slipped out the front down and down the stairs. He shove the list into his shorts pockets as he hopped the final step and started on the path out of the complex and towards the main road. Coming up the walkway, Kuroo spotted their downstairs neighbor, Ushijima. Ushijima quirked an eyebrow, looking over Kuroo quickly as he nodded a greeting.

“Congratulations on the baby,” Ushijima said.

From anyone else Kuroo might have thought it was sarcastic, but even in Ushijima's monotone, Kuroo could pick out the sincerity.

“Thanks, I'm actually heading to the store now because of him,” Kuroo muttered, not really sure why he was blabbering. Ushijima didn't comment on it, only nodded again.

Before he slipped into his own apartment, Ushijima hung out of the doorway for a moment, and then addressed Kuroo. “Please tell Bokuto to not step so heavily at night when he's with the baby. Everything echoes down here.”

Kuroo snickered. Ushijima had said it so casually and yet his stoic face had betrayed a bit of subtle frustration. Kuroo couldn't help himself; he had really needed the laugh. He waved a hand nonchalantly at Ushijima and promised to talk to his boyfriend. He didn't spare any further glance back behind him as he hoofed it to the drug store.

-

When Kuroo returned, Shouyou had woken up fussy as ever. He pulled at Bokuto's hair, wailing quietly as big fat tears rolled down his chubby little cheeks. Bokuto was hunched over the high chair, wiping him down with a soft rag. Bokuto turned as much as he could to greet Kuroo. Kuroo fished out the tylenol, read over it a moment, and then pried open the box. He took out the syringe and uncorked the bottle. Bokuto made a disgusted face.

“He's so young, though. Do we have to kill his taste buds so early?” Bokuto said.

He intercepted his fingers into Shouyou's little fists to try and release his hold on his hair. Kuroo tsked, sucking up a bit of it into the syringe and looking critically at the numbers on the side. He pointed to Shouyou.

“Its now or never, Kou,” Kuroo said. “I need you to distract him.”

Bokuto saluted, then turned to Shouyou. He put his hands on top of his head, waving them as he waggled his tongue from side to side. He called for Shouyou to look at him, making silly noises. Normally it would have Shouyou erupting in fits of laughter, but it only made him that much more upset. Bokuto took him by his little hands and moved them around, singing the cheer for Fukurodani in time with the movements. Kuroo swooped in, sticking into Shouyou's mouth and squirting it in. Kuroo pressed a hand over his mouth and watched Shouyou's eyes get big before he inevitably gulped. He paused momentarily in his crying to shoot Kuroo an almost betrayed look before the crying started up again.

Bokuto turned to him with a shake of his head. “He'll never trust you again, Tetsu.”

  
He opened his arms big as he faced Shouyou again, ignoring Kuroo's eye roll. He gathered Shouyou up against him and pulled him out of the high chair. Kuroo slipped the nasal cleaner into Bokuto's back pocket.

“Good luck cleaning out all the snot, Daddy,” Kuroo quipped, heading into the kitchen.

Neither of them had eaten yet, so he might as well have started on a quick and simple dinner. Bokuto was the real cook out of the two of them, but a hastily made meal would suffice for now. Boktuo pouted, rocking Shouyou as he headed into the bathroom.

“I'll do it! And he'll love me still afterwards!” Bokuto called.

-

Well into day two of Shouyou's cold, Kuroo was still feeling unsettled with the fact that Shouyou's fever had yet to go down. Akaashi had assured them that it was normal to last at least two days, and the cold about three if everything was fine. If, laid heavily on Kuroo's mind. He still didn't want to eat much, only sipping partially from his bottle now and then. He still looked somewhat betrayed after his second dosage of Tylenol for his fever.

Bokuto for the most part had slept curled around Shouyou for the better part of the night, startling awake with each sniffle or cough that it even impressed Kuroo. Bokuto rubbed Shouyou's belly soothingly as he slept, cooing at him in hopes of making his sleep a little more peaceful.

At a quarter to three, knocking at the door jolted Kuroo up from the couch where he'd taken his turn to sleep. He dragged himself to the door, surprised to see Ushijima on the otherside.

“Yo, Ushiwaka what brings you here?” Kuroo asked, barely concealing a yawn.

Ushijima frowned at the name, a moniker he hadn't been able to shake off since high school, and well into college even now. He pointed vaguely inside of the apartment before he spoke.

“Your baby is sick,” He said simply. “Do you need help?”

Kuroo's was speechless a moment, forgetting a for a moment how to talk. He blinked as Ushijima excused himself and slipped in anyway, toeing off his shoes. Kuroo wordlessly shut the door. Bokuto came up the hallway, Shouyou cradled on his shoulder as he spotted Ushijima. A wild grin broke out on his face.

“Yo, 'Wakka! What're you doing up here. Come for a one-on-one? Well, can't! Our little guy's -”

“Sick. I know. Your pacing is driving me crazy,” Ushijima finished for him.

He tilted his head to regard Shouyou. The baby, sniffling a bit, turned to look back at him. They stared at each other for a while before Shouyou was sniffling a bit louder, a little hand pointed in Ushijma's direction. Ushijima nodded to himself before holding out his arms, silently asking for permission from Bokuto. Bokuto shrugged and shifted the baby into Ushijima's arms. He was a nice enough guy anyway, he doubted he'd wanted to hurt Shouyou.

Ushijima held Shouyou up from under his armpits, frowning a bit as he watched a dribble of snot leak out. Ushijima slipped him into the crook of his arm and then sat down on the couch. He regarded Kuroo.

“It might be best for him to sweat out the fever. We should layer him up a bit,” Ushijima said.

Whenever Shouyou made a pitiful noise, Ushijima would gently jolt him and stroke his side with a big thumb. He only glanced at him a few times but otherwise kept his eyes on Bokuto and Kuroo. Bokuto looked almost impressed. Kuroo whistled.

“When since did you know so much about babies, Ushiwaka?” Bokuto said.

Sometimes Kuroo had to love how he'd just say what they both were thinking without filter. Ushijima shrugged himself.

“I took a class on child development a semester ago. Sometimes I help out at the local pre-school, too,” He said.

“Wait, the Sunshine Kids one? Doesn't, ah what's his name? Sugawara work there?” Bokuto said, a loud.

Kuroo snickered; “Yeah. So does Oikawa. I hear they've got a weird rivalry going o there.”

Ushijima nodded. “Sometimes Sugawara asks me to come in. Though Oikawa is not as...accepting.”

Kuroo laughed a little louder. “I can only imagine. Well, far be it for us to deny any help. We haven't slept much since yesterday.”

“Sleep, then. I'll look after him. Do you mind if I watch a documentary on your TV? I was planning on watching it downstairs.”

“Knock yourself out,” Kuroo said with a yawn. “Wake us if anything's wrong. Food's in the fridge.”

Ushijima made a noise akin to understanding as Bokuto and Kuroo went back to the room. Bokuto popped out a few moments later with more clothes to put on Shouyou. He helped Ushijima wrangle Shouyou in, before kissing the little baby's forehead and bidding him a see you later. Ushijima poked at one of Shouyou's cheeks.

“How do you feel about eagles, Little One?” Ushijima asked.

Shouyou rubbed at one eye sleepily, but otherwise seemed to have calmed down. Ushijima took it as an affirmative and settled back on the couch. He laid a hand to Shouyou's back and felt the slow rise and fall of his breathing as he fell asleep. He sneezed and coughed a few times but otherwise remained peaceful.

-

“Bokuto, Kuroo, wake up,” Ushijima said. “You've slept into the next day.”

Kuroo bolted up, nearly knocking heads with Ushijima as he sat up. He blinked rapidly as his vision came into focus and he quickly remembered why the heck Ushijima was standing over him in his bedroom. Ushijima pointed behind him vaguely.

“I think Shouyou has sweat out his fever,” Ushijima said. “I've already wiped him down, and changed his diaper. I think he'd like to be fed, now.”

Kuroo blinked again. Then he elbowed Bokuto in the back, not caring for the pained yowl he received. If Ushijima seemed startled, he barely responded. He headed back out to the living room when he spotted Bokuto's naked back appearing from underneath the sheets.

“Dude, Ushiwaka nursed Shouyou through the night. He even changed him,” Kuroo said. “You know what this means?”

“Ushijima could make it as a nanny?”

“No! Well, yeah, but, it means we can probably get him to babysit now and then. I need to look for a job to help pay for things anyway,” Kuroo said. “Whaddya think?”

Bokuto rubbed his back as best he could, wrinkling his nose. “Depends on what 'Wakka thinks. But I think it'll be fine.”

They scrambled out of bed and into the living room. Bright-eyed but still snotty sat Shouyou on Ushijima's leg. He was reaching out for the spoon of food Ushijima was holding out of his reach before swooping in to feed him. Shouyou smiled around the food. He coughed here and there, flecks of food flying, but was otherwise much brighter than he had been two days prior.

Kuroo leaned against Bokuto's solid form, arms crossed as he watched the two of them. Kuroo nuzzled his nose into the side of Bokuto's neck. Shouyou cooed for another bite and was rewarded shortly after. Bokuto couldn't help but laugh.

“So, Ushiwaka, we've got a proposition for ya. How'd you like to be one of Shouyou's nannies?” He said.

“One of?” Ushijima muttered. “If I'm available, then I will help.”

He wiped at the piece of food at the corner of the baby's mouth. Kuroo slung an arm around Bokuto's waist lazily, before pushing his boyfriend into the kitchen to make breakfast. It was the least they could reward Ushijima with.

“How do you take your eggs and bacon, Ushiwaka?” Bokuto called.

It was lost in Shouyou's loud sneeze and Kuroo's grossed out expression. Bokuto flipped the eggs without any further care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original here
> 
> Special thanks to my friend for always answering my baby related questions for this fic!!
> 
> I'm getting over being sick myself so I thought it'd be a good idea for this chapter. I might have lied a bit, sorry! I meant to put the bit about the Karasuno jersey in this chapter but then things got out of hand. But whenever Daichi directly appears is when the Karasuno baby jersey shall also appear!
> 
> I really wanted to introduce Ushijima, though! Ushijima's an intense boy, and kinda socially awkward, but he's got a genuine heart and he probably stops to help old ladies cross streets and admire dogs from afar (Think Ravi: “That dog is overflowing with charisma”. I don't really know why I imagine this myself lmaooo) Either way, I think he'd be surprisingly good with kids. Living under Bokuto and Kuroo means he (unfortunately) has more or less an idea of whats going on. So he comes to help a bit with Shouyou. It takes a village, right?
> 
> Reminder that generally speaking most of the second and first years will appear as babies. One exception to this is Akaashi, because, lets face it, Bokuto and Kuroo would need all the help they could get. Though it was almost Yaku that had taken his place. Yaku will appear later, though. 
> 
> Also, remember that I don't know much about babies, so please feel free to correct me or inform me!!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi convinces Bokuto and Kuroo to let Shouyou pick what team he’ll be on. He makes a surprising decision. Kuroo and Bokuto experience true betrayal.

 "You know, despite you telling me and spamming me with all these pictures, I still couldn't really believe it,” Sawamura Daichi said. “But it's true. _You two_ have a baby.”

Daichi watched Bokuto spoon-feeding Shouyou. The trick it seemed lately was pretending to be a well spiked volleyball heading over the net and into Shouyou's mouth. When Bokuto cheered on an imaginary score, Shouyou almost looked like he was glowing with pride. Daichi had to laugh. He ruffled the back of Shouyou's hair.

“I showed Suga a picture of Shouyou,” Daichi said. “He's making me make you guys promise you'll be enrolling him in the pre-school he works at when the time comes.”

Kuroo shot him a sly smile, “That's funny, just the other day Oikawa said the same thing. Apparently he's trying to get some extra brownie points with this guy he's into. Single guy with a kid of his own, maybe a few months younger than Shou.”

Daichi shook his head. “I'm trying to stay as far away from their little war as possible, thanks.”

Bokuto set the spoon down for a moment, sticking Daichi with a firm look. It looked so out of place on his face that Daichi almost faltered.

“I've got a question for you, Daichi. It's something that's been making me and Tetsu fight about a lot lately,” Bokuto said.

“Yeah, what is it?” Daichi said, a little uneasy.

Bokuto's ideas were always a bit out there, and they didn't always end pleasantly.

“What jersey do you think Shouyou would look good in? Fukurodani or Nekoma?” Bokuto said.

Daichi had to blink. Then blink again. “Excuse me?”

“This idiot,” Kuroo hissed. “Wants to put our child in a Fukurodani jersey. And I've said, 'Not over my dead body'.”

“You _said_ 'Shouyou'd sooner go buck naked',” Bokuto shot back. “So, Daichi, Fukurodani or Nekoma?”

Daichi looked between the two of them, honestly at a loss. Out of all the things he was thinking that they were getting at each other's throats over, he couldn't imagine it being about a jersey. He looked at them again to make sure that, yes, they were actually serious about this. Daichi looked to Shouyou. The baby was only just licking off apple sauce from his fist without any other care.

“Do you two even have a Fukurodani and Nekoma jersery small enough for him?” Daichi questioned.

“Akaashi and Yaku are working on it!” Bokuto said. “It's taken a bit of hassling but the companies we used to get our jerseys from every year back in high school put in a custom order for us. We told our coaches we'd pay for them ourselves.”

“Boy did we,” Kuroo muttered.

He picked Shouyou up out of his high chair and carried him off to the bathroom. Daichi wrinkled his nose. He was probably going to get changed in the mean time. Daichi sighed. He had stepped out of one impending war at Sunshine Kids and right into another with Bokuto and Kuroo. He really didn't want to do this. He was starting to question why Akaashi had asked him to check in on the two of them now. He hadn't thought Akaashi so underhanded before. But now, he was suspecting this was an underlying Setter trait.

“Come on, Daichi,” Bokuto whispered, voice too loud for an actual whisper. “What's it going to take me to get you to rep for Fukurodani?”

“Don't get me involved in this. Can't he just wear both of them every other week?” Daichi said.

Years of being a captain should have given him the power to solve petty squabbles. Bokuto didn't look impressed however, and _he_ had also been a captain. Hell, Kuroo had been one, too. Daichi felt a headache coming on. Bokuto huffed, looking betrayed.

“You know that's not how it works. One team advances and the other doesn't!” Bokuto said.

“But what does this have to do with Shouyou?” Daichi questioned, exasperated. “He hasn't even learned to walk yet, much less play volleyball.”

“He will! He's got two great volleyball dads right here, and his uncles Keiji, Yaku and Daichi to help him. Riiight?” Bokuto said, eyebrows bouncing. “So that's why we have to choose now. He's going to grow up and play volleyball and he'll need to choose a high school to go to!”

“That's about _15_ _years_ from now,” Daichi said. “Aren't you two getting ahead of yourselves?”

“Absolutely not,” Kuroo said, coming back up the hallway with Shouyou. “What he decides on will make or break him. Kenma's going to have to choose a team, too, you know. Imagine the rivalry. Just like their dads.”

“Akaashi's not even his dad. _You're_ not even his dad,” Daichi muttered.

He sighed and raised his hands up in defeat. He wasn't going to get anywhere with them. This was almost as bad as Suga and Oikawa. Though, they were only a bit more subtle with their rivalry. Daichi felt a shiver go up his spine just thinking about it.

“Why don't you two just let Shouyou choose, then? Hold out whichever jersey to him and let him crawl over and pick,” Daichi said.

At the back of his mind he knew that in the end things wouldn't always be that easy. When Shouyou grew up he might not even _like_ volleyball, much less choose a team that his dads went to. Daichi cleared his throat as a thought popped into his head. He kept silent as he watched Kuroo and Bokuto look at each other, the question hanging between them. Kuroo shrugged and Bokuto nodded. Apparently an agreement had been achieved.

“Good thinking, Daichi,” Kuroo said. He bounced Shouyou in his arms. “What a smart uncle you have, Shou.”

Daichi flushed despite himself. He held out his arms and Kuroo handed the baby over to him. Daichi looked down at his round, chubby cheeks and big, brown eyes. He grinned, the tips of growing teeth peeking out from his pink gums. Daichi pressed his face into Shouyou's hair, inhaling the gentle scent of his baby shampoo. He was honestly too cute. Shouyou patted his cheek.

-

One thing Kuroo seemed to notice was Shouyou's growing affection for Daichi. Whenever Daichi came over, which was much more lately at Akaashi's request, Shouyou would squeal and clap. Daichi would wave, gently greeting Shouyou as he headed over and ruffled his hair. Lately, too, he was more content to let Daichi feed him. When Bokuto did, he was downright stubborn. But with Daichi he didn't even have to make spiking noises. It reminded Bokuto of when Akaashi would come over and Shouyou was all but enamored with him. Akaashi had been dubbed favorite uncle, then. But maybe Daichi was going to usurp the title.

Bokuto had pouted for the better part of the week afterwards. He looked to Shouyou teething on Daichi's fingers and then back at Kuroo. His jutted his lower lip out.

“Our son doesn't love me anymore,” Bokuto said.

Kuroo grinned, leaning down to kiss his forehead and then the corner of his mouth. Bokuto preened, leaning up to kiss him on the mouth quickly. He buried his face into Kuroo's stomach from where he was lounging on the couch. He patted his boyfriend on the head.

“There, there. I still love you,” He said, nonchalantly.

Bokuto certainly didn't mind the misplaced affection, howeverr, when it came time to change Shouyou's diaper. Daichi had lost a bet and had been sentenced to diaper duty. It was a petty punishment, but Daichi's grossed out face was worth it. Bokuto huffed in victory.

All things went back right rather quickly though. Shouyou would grab Bokuto's finger first above everyone else. He would grin and try to sound out what he assumed was his rendition of “Daddy” at the moment. Kuroo too was the only one that Shouyou loved to be rocked to sleep by, though Ushijima came a close third it seemed.

It wasn't so bad sharing him, maybe.

-

About two weeks later, the jerseys had arrived. Akaashi had personally delivered them since he still lived rather close to Fukurodani before heading to Nekoma and then swinging by Kuroo and Bokuto's apartment. He had showed up, shoved the small box of jerseys into Kuroo's arms before fast-walking down the stairs and down the main road. Kuroo whistled, impressed by the speed and promptly hit call under Daichi's name.

“Guess what, Daichi? The jerseys came. You're coming over to referee right?” Kuroo said.

A suffering groan greeted him over the line. He snickered, hearing the soft cursing from over the line as Daichi fumbled in his apartment. He muttered that he'd be there in fifteen minutes and that he expected Bokuto cook him up something for his troubles. Kuroo laughed and hung up, heading in with the box under his arm.

He faced Bokuto with a cheshire grin. “Be prepared to lose, owl-face,” Kuroo said.

Bokuto scoffed from where he was cheering Shouyou on as he crawled across the living room carpet. He raised a leg up as Shouyou weaved through it.

“I have faith Shouyou will choose the best, _most successful_ team,” He said.

Kuroo narrowed his eyes. “Keep talking like that and you won't be sleeping next to either me or Shouyou for the rest of the week.”

Bokuto shrugged. “You'll be begging to have me back and you know it. No one steals warmth like you.”

Kuroo rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Daichi's coming over to ref. So no, cheating.”

“Never!” Bokuto exclaimed indignantly, pounding a fist to the floor.

Ushijima was probably glaring up at his ceiling right then.

-

Daichi barely got his feet out of his shoes at the door before Bokuto was manhandling him over to the center of the room. Daichi stumbled, knocking into Bokuto's side. Bokuto shoved him into the coach. Kuroo sat not too far off, Nekoma jersey laid out on his thigh. Bokuto's was thrown over his shoulder. Not far from Daichi sat Shouyou, rolled over on his back, trying to gnaw on his foot. Daichi sighed, leaning back as he prepared for the battle to begin. It almost put the Battle of the Trash Heap to shame.

“All right then, each team to their respective sides,” Daichi called.

Bokuto kneeled down a ways away from Kuroo, with ample room between them. They both faced Shouyou. Daichi looked between the two of them. Then he reached down and picked Shouyou up. He sat him up to rest on his bum to face his dads in the middle of the living room floor. There was a good distance between him and the couch now, too. Shouyou blinked in confusion.

“Both teams present jerseys!” Daichi said.

Bokuto and Kuroo held up their respective jerseys. Shouyou looked between the two of them eagerly. Daichi had to chuckle, hand laid out on his head, as if he was holding him back.

“Ready? Set. Go!” He said.

“Here, Shou, come here! Come to, Daddy!” Bokuto cooed, bouncing the Fukurodani jersey up and down.

Shouyou looked to him, hand in his mouth. He hesitated, moving to get on his knees as he watched Bokuto making faces at him.

“No, Shrimp, look. You love cats, don't you? You and Kenma love Neko Atsume, don't you? Come to Papa!” Kuroo said, shaking the Nekoma jersey.

Shouyou looked to Kuroo, fully on his hands and knees now. But he hadn't budged an inch towards either of them. Daichi bit back a snicker. Shouyou looked between the two of them. They each called to him, cooing and praising him. Shouyou squealed, a bit of drool falling from his lip as he laughed.

“Come, Shou, come here! Be an Owl!” Bokuto called.

“Shou, Shou, Shouyou,” Kuroo sang. “You'll have more fun with Cats.”

Their calling last a good ten more minutes before they both realized Shouyou wasn't going to move. Bokuto hung his head with an exasperated sigh. Kuroo had to laugh, a little bit disappointed.

“Out of all the times he doesn't want to actually move,” Kuroo said. “You usually love moving, Shou.”

Daichi hummed from his place on the couch, easing up to his feet as he regarded his two friends. He grinned evilly, and a chill ran through Kuroo and Bokuto.

“So, since neither of you are in the running anymore, how about I take a crack at it?” Daichi said.

“A crack at -” Bokuto said, before gasping loudly. “ _You wouldn't_ _!_ ”

Daichi laughed, kneeling down as he fished out a Karasuno jersey from his jacket pockets. He whipped it out and shook it before Shouyou's eyes. Shouyou caught sight of it, fist in his mouth as he looked towards Daichi. His mouth hung open as he dropped his fist. Kuroo made a dying sound in the back of his throat.

“Shou, no!” Kuroo called.

“Don't do it, Shouyou!” Bokuto all but screeched.

Shouyou got down on his hands and knees, eyes fixated on the bright orange and black of Karasuno's jersey and began to crawl towards Daichi. Kuroo and Bokuto howled behind him as Shouyou kept on advancing towards the jersey. The crawled after him on their knees, trying to redirect his attention. But it was useless. One damp little hand grabbed the jersey and Daichi erupted into laughter. He scooped Shouyou up, laying the jersey over the baby's torso. He stood up, one hand on his hip and the other cradling Shouyou. He grinned slyly at Kuroo and Bokuto.

“Looks like he's going to Karasuno, huh?” Daichi said.

Bokuto wiped the tears from his eyes as Kuroo scowled, eyes narrowed at their friend. Neither he nor Bokuto had ever experienced such betrayal. He stood up abruptly as Bokuto still quietly wailed.

“You wait, there's still hope for Kenma,” Kuroo said.

Daichi only grinned. “We'll see.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [original here](http://cheshire-ree.tumblr.com/post/140163426968/baby-makes-three-ch-4)
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> The single guy with the kid is Iwaizumi with his little boy, Tobio. They won't be coming in for a little while yet. But they will. Its mostly based on this lovely fanart! -------->http://kageyemas.tumblr.com/post/115800631613/dad-au-in-which-iwaizumi-is-dad-and-tobio-is-his
> 
> I couldn't resist! For anyone that might not have known, among the Karasuno first years, Hinata is actually the eldest, while Kageyama is the youngest.
> 
> Also credit for the Karasuno jersey goes to Yuki_no_Utsukushisa! I promised to use and credit their idea! 
> 
> Their idea: “While I was reading this, I started thinking about Daichi also having a Karasuno baby jersey. (he already met Shouyo) So all three make him choose which on he likes. Let's say that both Bokuto and Kuroo never felt so betrayed.”
> 
> (A brief thought of “he should have chosen Shiratorizawa” flashed through my mind when I was writing and I laughed soooo hard)
> 
> I'm having a bit of a hard time considering if I should add any other pairings. So far, I kind of like the idea of OiSuga, or IwaOiSuga...And QP Asahi/Shimizu is also up in the air. Somehow this felt a bit BokuKuroDai in a way and it wasn't even my intention lmaoo. But I want to focus heavily on BokuKuro & Hinata more than anything Give me some of your thoughts or considerations if you'd like, maybe I'll get inspired to use one.
> 
> Here's a new chapter rather early because MIDTERMS ARE COMING.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shouyou gets a new babysitter, in the form of the scary-faced but nervous guy across the street.

“Despite what you say you can't pass this chance up, Tetsurou,” Yaku said. “You wanted a job and they're hiring now. Don't let my efforts go to waste because you won't get to see Shouyou for a  little bit.”

Kuroo looked pitifully at Yaku from where he was laying half way on and off the couch. Yaku clicked his tongue, readjusting Shouyou on his leg. Shouyou slipped into Yaku's lap, where his legs where crossed, cradling him. The last time he had come, Shouyou was a bit lighter. Now, it seemed, he was growing alarmingly.

“You can say that because you don't have a baby, Morisuke,” Kuroo griped. “Look at that face. I'm going to worry if we _both_ aren't around with him.”

“You let Ushijima watch him.” Yaku shot back.

“Yeah, but he's going to be busy these days. You should have seen him when he said that he had midterms coming and couldn't babysit. It was like the world ended,” Kuroo said. He rolled over with a groan. “I can't exactly ask Sawamura, or Akaashi or you either. You'll all be busy.”

Yaku hummed, prying his tie away from Shouyou's wet fingers. “What about a daycare?” Yaku said.

“No way! All those snot-nosed kids. What if he gets sick again?” Kuroo said.

Yaku fixed him with a look. “He can't stay here alone. Find a babysitter or a daycare and figure it out, Tetsurou. The interview is in two days.”

Kuroo groaned against, sliding off the couch and onto the carpet. Shouyou looked over and wiggled his way out of Yaku's grip. He crawled over and laid his head on the side of Kuroo's, gurgling happily. Kuroo grimaced the bit of drool now on his cheek, but appreciated the sentiment nonetheless. He reached over his head to pet Shouyou's hair.

“Thanks, Shrimpy. I can always count on you to cheer me up,” Kuroo muttered.  He looked to Yaku again. “I'll get to looking. I'll talk to Kou when he gets home later.”

Yaku nodded, opening his arms as Shouyou returned with his new favorite toy and settled back into Yaku's lap comfortably. Yaku pushed his wild little bangs back and pecked him on the forehead.

“Your Papa is too troublesome isn't he,” Yaku cooed. “Sometimes I have to kick him in the ass to get results done. Don't be like your Papa when you grow up, Shouyou.”

Kuroo pouted from his place on the floor, which was promptly ignored.

-

The tall guy who lived in the row of apartments just across from them always caught Bokuto's attention when he was coming home. He usually caught the guy just as he was coming back with the mail, letters and maybe a package or two shoved up under his arms. He was probably one of the tallest guy's he'd ever seen, minus Ushijima, and even Kuroo for that matter. It was rumoted that this guy was an ex-Yakuza on the run and hiding out at their apartment building. Kuroo and he had taken it as silly and thought nothing of it. Though, Bokuto couldn't help the stray churn of his stomach when his neighbor raised his hand and a strange, shadowy grimace came across his face. Bokuto waved his hand back just in case this guy was one of those loose-cannons that went nuts when they weren't catered to.

What really struck Bokuto, though, was that Scary-Face didn't live alone for someone apparently hiding from the police as an ex-con. He lived with a young, quiet woman. She was really pretty to say the least, and very soft-spoken. She'd nodded to him a few times they'd run into each other, and Bokuto had nodded back. The only time Bokuto saw that scary look come off Scary-Face's face was when the woman was coming home and he was opening the door to greet her.

Bokuto supposed she just had that type of effect on him. So he was glad that Scary-Face had a handler for whatever he was supposedly holed up in that apartment for. Bokuto shrugged at any rate and unlocked the door to his own place and slipped inside.

-

“I could always just ask for new hours,” Bokuto mumbled.

He took a bite of his food before giving Shouyou a bite of his own, too. Kuroo drummed his fingers on the table, looking as unhappy as he first did when Bokuto came home and told him. Bokuto took another bite and fed Shouyou again.  
“Who knows if I'll even get the job,” Kuroo muttered. “And we need the money if we're going to take care of Shou. You changed your hours once when we got him, and Mrs. Sanada really needs you now that doctor's telling her to rest more at home.”

Bokuto took another bite and blanched; he'd accidentally eaten Shouyou's food. He tried to drown down the taste with his water, eyes squinting in distaste. Shouyou clapped in amusement.

“We'll just have to find another babysitter, then. Until Ushiwaka's exams are over,” Bokuto said. “Ask Sawamura if he knows anyone and I'll call up Akaashi.”

Bokuto took up the empty plates from the table and bent to kiss Kuroo on the cheek. Kuroo pretended to grimace, nipping on the chin when Bokuto pulled away.

“Cheer up, Tetsu. If anything I'll just bring him with me!” Bokuto said. “I'll strap him to my chest like a backpack and we'll stand at the cash register together.”

Kuroo laughed; “Yeah, I can already see it. Imagine having to stop the whole line because you need to go run and change Shou.”

Bokuto wiggled his eyebrows. “Imagine all the moms that will come in and offer me tips about taking care of this little guy. No better way for a father and son to bond, am I right?”

Kuroo rolled his eyes and picked Shouyou up. “You wash the dishes and I'll wash Shorty.”

He leaned back and let Bokuto kiss him again for good measure before making his way to the bathrooms. He pressed Shouyou's head into the curve of his neck and cooed at him.

“We'll find someone, Shou. Papa can't relax until he does,” He mumbled.

-

Akaashi had no luck in finding one apparently; midterms were murdering everyone he had in mind, it seemed. Daichi on the other hand had come through, and Kuroo had sent him enough cat pictures with hearts and thank yous on it for Daichi to threaten to temporarily block him.

_**Daichi: <<My friend Asahi says he wouldn't mind watching Shouyou. He actually lives near you guys, too.>>** _

_**Daichi: <<I'll come by later and introduce you guys.>>** _

_**Daichi: <<Don't send me anymore cats pictures, I mean it.>>** _

Kuroo chuckled and threw his phone out on the couch. He slid down on the floor to lie down next to Shouyou. The baby was clapping along to a song about numbers and accompanying animals that he'd really come to love, playing on the TV. Kuroo took him up cradled him between his legs. He clapped along in time with him, singing off key as Shouyou tried to join in, too.

At a quarter to three, Daichi showed up with a box of meat buns and a nasty look for Kuroo. Kuroo only laughed, shrugging the way he always did when Daichi had some complaint or other for him Daichi pushed past him to kneel before Shouyou and squish the baby's cheeks until he erupted into a fit of laughter. Shouyou's little hands immediately reached for the box the moment he noticed it. Daichi pulled it away, picking the baby up with one arm and fitting him on his hip.

“Some of these are for you guys, and some are for Asahi,” Daichi said. “He might have forgotten to eat now that Kiyoko has been working overtime recently. She usually reminds him to eat or brings something home for them to share.”

“What's he do anyway?” Kuroo said, taking the box.

He plucked one bun out and only grinned slyly at Shouyou when he held his hands out for a bite. Kuroo stuck his tongue out as Daichi flashed him a disapproving look.

“None for you, Shrimpy. This is a delicacy meant for grown-ups and people with more than a couple teeth,” Kuroo joked.

Shouyou pouted, grabbing at the air a little more insistently. Kuroo took a bite anyway, before Daichi elbowed him roughly in the side and he nearly choked on a bit of it.

“Don't tease your kid like that,” Daichi scolded. “You know he can't eat that just yet.”

Daichi took a hold of the food Kuroo had been feeding Shouyou and headed to the couch to begin feeding the baby again. Kuroo stewed over by the dining table, trying to horde what the little left he could enjoy before Bokuto came home and inhaled the rest. Shouyou was developing an appetite like his other father, much to Kuroo's dismay. He already had to fight Bokuto for portions of meat. He didn't need more competition.

“You haven't changed at all, honestly,” Daichi muttered.

Kuroo only selfishly shoved another half a meat bun into his mouth, cheeks bulging as if to prove a point. Daichi shook his head. He wiped Shouyou's mouth with his thumb, asking him in a soft voice if he'd truly enjoyed his meal. The baby seemed to agree.

“You never did answer me, though, Daichi. What's your friend Asahi do, anyway?” Kuroo said, still chewing up his food.

“He's got a web comic he does. It's gotten pretty popular lately. It might get an anime, if I remember correctly,” Daichi said, off handed.

Kuroo's eyes bugged. “Seriously? Which comic?”

“Uh, its that shoujo manga that has volleyball in it, but I can't remember the name,” Daichi said.

“Wait, the one with Ami-chan who desperately wants to be the Ace?” Kuroo blurted.

“I think so yeah,” Daichi said, cocking an eyebrow. “You know it?”

Kuroo's cheeks colored and he cleared his throat. Daichi zeroed in on him suspiciously. Kuroo waved a hand.

“Shou likes to hear it read to him when he's going to bed,” Kuroo said. “He thinks Ami-chan is a good protagonist.”

Daichi shook his head with a chuckle. “Asahi will be glad then to have such a wide age range of fans.”

Luckily Bokuto popped in before Daichi could deliver any finishing blows to Kuroo when he started asking if he heard about the new cellphone charms that were being released in a week. Kuroo had pursed his lips and refused to answer.

“Awesome! Meat buns!” Bokuto said, making a beeline for the box.

Kuroo was about to swipe them away when Daichi cleared his throat, a pointed look in his direction. Bokuto took a bite with a smug grin, bouncing his eyebrows at Kuroo's withering glare.

“You two done or do you not want to meet Asahi?” Daichi said, exasperated.

Bokuto swallowed heavily, wiping his hands on his jeans. He saluted Daichi goodnaturedly before grabbing Kuroo's arm and hauling him up to lean on him.

“Ready when you are!” Bokuto said.

Daichi shifted Shouyou in his arm and made for the door. “Grab the remaining meat buns and follow me, then,” He said.

-

When Daichi had said Asahi lived close, they thought he meant around the corner not across the parking lot from them The apartment buildings facing their own in the same community was were they were headed. Bokuto's hackles started to raise when he saw them getting closer and closer to Scary-Face's hallway. Maybe Daichi would head to the stairs instead? Maybe this Asahi guy lived at one of the other apartments? Bokuto was sweating bullets when they kept getting closer, stopping under the stairwell to the first apartment door on the left. He made a dying noise when Daichi went to knock; there was no doubting it now, it was Scary-Face's place. He grabbed Daichi's wrist before he could knock.

“Daichi, what are you doing?” He said, too loudly. “Don't you know who lives here?”

“My friend Asahi?” Daichi answered, confused.

“No! An ex-con! They say he's some ex-Yakuza that's hiding out from the police!” Bokuto said.

Kuroo furrowed his brows, making to take Shouyou back before Daichi fixed them each with a look.

“You mean that guy that's always glaring at everyone when he goes to get the mail?” Kuroo added in. “We can't let him watch, Shouyou. Daichi what are you thinking?”

“What are you thinking? There's no way Asahi's any type of criminal. He's a goofball,” Daichi answered.

He shrugged off their insistent tugging on his shirt and knocked loudly on the door three times. A few moments passed before a deep voice yelled at them to wait a moment. The sound of locks sliding away and the door opening made Bokuto and Kuroo freeze. Scary-Face – Asahi – popped his head out, a dark look on his face as he regarded them.

Daichi shouldered his way in with a hot scold on his tongue about Asahi not opening his curtains properly for light to come in. Bokuto and Kuroo hesitantly entered, sticking close to their friend as Asahi meekly shut the door. Daichi passed Shouyou off to Bokuto and roughly yanked the curtains of the glass door open. Light streamed in harshly. Asahi yelped, stumbling backwards into a chair.

Bokuto blinked as his eyes settled, looking at Asahi good now. He was definitely as tall he as looked, that was for sure. But he kept himself hunched over, like he was trying to make himself smaller. His hair hung in a loose little ponytail and a sheepish expression adorned his face. Asahi rubbed the back of his neck as Daichi came at him, hands on his hips.

“Did you eat yet?” Daichi demanded.

“Well, a little - “ Asahi started.

“When? How much?” Daichi quipped.

“This morning, before Kiyoko -” Asahi said, trying again.

Daichi yanked the box of meatbuns out of Kuroo's hands and shoved it into Asahi's chest. Asahi nearly squeaked at the treatment, hastily catching the box with shaky hands as Daichi demanded he start eating immediately. Asahi did as he was told, looking up sheepishly as he took a bite. Daichi roughed clapped his friend on the upper arm as he regarded Bokuto and Shouyou again.

“Let me properly introduce you then,” Daichi said.

“This is Kuroo,” Daichi said, pointing at Kuroo; Kuroo held a slightly awkward hand up in greeting, with a hey.

Daichi pointed at Bokuto. “That's Bokuto, and the little guy is Shouyou.”

Daichi jabbed a thumb into Asahi's chest, ignoring the squawk and barreling on as he always did.

“This is Azumane Asahi. He's making a webcomic and he works from home. He's done babysitting before to make some cash so he knows what he's doing. Sometimes Saeko-Nee-san asks him to come over and watch Yuu and Ryu,” Daichi explained.

They briefly remembered Saeko; the loud blonde with the bad driving skills that delivered Shouyou's crib. She had mentioned she had a baby brother around the same age or a little older than Kenma. Kuroo's brows shot up. Well, at least Asahi knew what he was doing.

“How much do you charge?” Kuroo prompted.  
“Daichi said Bokuto cooks really well, so, uh, a meal wouldn't hurt,” Asahi said, sheepishly. “Neither me or Kiyoko can cook, actually.”

“Kiyoko?” Bokuto echoed.

“That's me,” A soft voice answered.

The woman Bokuto has seen Asahi greeting came up from the hallway, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. She nodded, coming to stand between Asahi and Daichi a little shyly as she introduced herself.

“Shimizu Kiyoko,” She supplied. “I'm Asahi's roommate.”

“Nice to meet you,” Kuroo and Bokuto said, in unison. Shouyou cooed, waving at her cheerfully. Kiyoko waved back. Shouyou cooed louder and held out his hands towards her.

Daichi touched Kiyoko's wrist with a reassuring brush of his fingers, and she smiled a little softly. She held her hands out for Shouyou and Bokuto let her take him. Shouyou seemed to freeze for a moment when he settled in her arms. He stared up at her, enamored for a good while before breaking out into a full grin and snuggling closer to her. Asahi leaned over and poked him in the cheek, earning a small giggle. Daichi regarded his friends again, watching their reactions with a faint smile of his own.

“I already talked to Kiyoko and we wouldn't mind baby-proofing our place. Or I can stay over at yours if it makes you feel better. I just need access to the wifi to do my work,” Asahi said.

Kuroo looked to Bokuto, a silent conversation passing between them before Bokuto grinned and Kuroo grinned back. Kuroo pulled Bokuto into a side-arm hug and held a hand out to Asahi.

“The password and food's all yours,” Kuroo said. “But – only if you also get me a signed copy of the physical printing of that manga of yours when it comes out.”

Asahi looked startled for a minute before laughing, leaning a little against Kiyoko's side. She shook her head and knocked her shoulder against his.

“I think that can be arranged,” Asahi agreed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original here---->http://cheshire-ree.tumblr.com/post/141449858193/baby-makes-three-ch-5
> 
> I meant to write this sooner but a lot of things happened! A killer writing block and some required midterm essays. I have another the next chapter planned out and now it just needs writing. Shouyou is about a little more than 7 months right now! It will follow a day with Asahi (and Kiyoko) and maybe afterwards some attempts at first words....
> 
> More uncles and an aunt have appeared! Kiyoko and Asahi are QP in this fic. I want to see more Kiyoko & Sempai Crows interactions tbh, so I'm just gonna make my own.
> 
> I'm caught between PT Kiyoko and Coach Kiyoko. I like both ideas. Asahi on the other hand, writes a web comic about volleyball thats actually really shoujo because why not. I wanted him to do shoujo because Asahi has a romantic, glass heart, and he probably gets worried a lot about hurting his characters but then Kiyoko calms him down and gets him through it. There's no name for the comic right now I'm afraid because I'm bad at names. Feel free to suggest something though!
> 
> Its becoming more BokuKuroDai every time Daichi shows up and that was honestly not even my original intention omg. Well, we'll see what happens.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asahi watches Shouyou for the day. Things are scary but then they're okay.

“Here's the number for Bokuto's workplace and his cell phone number, and here's my workplace and number,” Kuroo said to Asahi, pointing at the notepad. Behind him Bokuto was handing Shouyou to Kiyoko.

“Here's Daichi's number even though you have it. Here's the doctor he goes to. Here's Akaashi's number. Here's Yaku's number. We wrote our numbers again just in case something happens and the top part disappears or something,” Kuroo continued.

Asahi accepted the paper, a heaviness settling on his shoulders. Kuroo adjusted the baby bag on his shoulder. He pushed past Asahi to put it down on the little dining table and began to open it up, instructing Asahi as to everything that was stuffed into it. Asahi nodded quietly, feeling like he might bite his tongue if he did anything but agree to the information storm Kuroo was laying on him.

Kiyoko came up behind him with Shouyou on her hip, laying a hand to the back of his shoulder. He glanced over at her with a wobbly smile. She squeezed him, and shifted subtly between Asahi and Kuroo, leaning the baby towards Kuroo. Kuroo bent, pressing his nose into Shouyou's cheek.

“We'll back in a few hours, Squirt,” Kuroo said. “Be good and don't give too much trouble.”

He kissed Shouyou wetly on the cheek, making him grin and try and imitate his kisses. Kuroo wiped the dribble from his cheek with a laugh. Bokuto hip-bumped Kuroo out of the way and planted a flurry of kisses all over Shouyou's face, throwing his head back to laugh loudly when the baby began giggling first.

“I'll be back even quicker than Papa will, Shou,” Bokuto teased.

He ruffled his hair one last time before he was shoving Kuroo out of the door, a hot scold on Kuroo's tongue. He kept shoving when Kuroo kept craning is head back, calling to Shouyou that he'd be back soon. Asahi moved to close the door, catching a glimpse of Bokuto swinging an arm around Kuroo's shoulder. Bokuto pulled him down for a quick kiss before patting his cheek with his other hand.

“Let me walk you to work, Tetsu,” Bokuto said. Kuroo looked like he was melting.

Asahi exhaled loudly, leaning his forehead against the door. Behind him he could hear Kiyoko murmuring to Shouyou, laughing in her soft voice as he began to clap make happy noises. Asahi chanced a glance over his shoulder. Kiyoko looked over at him, patting the seat beside her.

“Asahi, come here,” She said simply.

He moved to sit next to her, pressed mostly against the arm of the couch as Shouyou hooked his arms around Kiyoko's neck and tried to imitate her words. He was still too young for being able to talk, but he seemed to imitate little sounds well enough. They came out garbled but the effort was precious enough by itself.

Kiyoko turned, passing Shouyou to Asahi. Asahi froze, holding his hands up as a signal that he would pass. Kiyoko shook her head and pushed Shouyou a little more insistently towards him. Shouyou was reaching out quicker than Asahi was. His little hands came to slap softly against his cheek, clearly taken with the strange feel of his stubble. He rubbed his palms a little more insistently, brows screwed up as he tried to figure out what it was. Kiyoko smiled behind him.

“I think he really likes you,” She said, chuckling.

Asahi looked at her helplessly. Shouyou's hand wandered to his long fringes, falling over the headband Kiyoko had bought him. His long hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail in the back. Shouyou tugged, missing the yelp Asahi uttered. He hooked his foot on Asahi's shoulder and began to draw himself further up. Kiyoko laughed a little louder, watching as the baby began trying to figure out just how far Asahi's hair really extended. A little maneuvering and unfortunate hair pulling eventually resulted in Shouyou sitting, dissatisfied with his exploration cut short, between the two of them. Shouyou made due with the tassel hanging from Asahi's key ring.

“You going to be okay while I'm gone?” Kiyoko asked. She tilted her head to look at him.

Asahi rubbed the back of his neck. He quickly yanked the tassel away from Shouyou before he tried to swallow a stray thread. Kiyoko could see the perspiration already forming on his brow. She laid a hand to his shoulder, a kind quirk of her lip appearing on her face.

“He's a bit younger than you're used to. But you'll be fine. I'll come check on you two when I'm lunch break,” Kiyoko said.

Asahi nodded and Kiyoko nodded back. She rose from the couch to go get ready for work, leaving the two of them on the couch. Asahi focused a little too hard on the ticking of the clock before Shouyou's inquisitive coo made him look over and down. The baby looked up at him expectantly. When Asahi cracked a smile at him, hoping to look reassuring (wondering if babies even understood such a thing), Shouyou's brows crushed together and a wet sniffle rose up. Asahi froze, watching tears collect at the corner of Shouyou's eyes.

Oh no, oh crap.

-

It had only been ten minutes after Kiyoko had kissed the both of them on the forehead and left to go to work. In that span of time, Asahi had managed to not only accidentally scare Shouyou, but make him start tearing up. He wasn't outright crying (a rather triumphant, if not sad accomplishment Asahi thought) but he wasn't laughing either.

Asahi rubbed his hands on the fabric of his sweats. He half considered calling Kiyoko back and asking her to just take this one day off. He and Shouyou obviously weren't ready to be in each other's company without a medium right now. He had put Shouyou in the playpen Kuroo and Bokuto had brought over with them, throwing in as many of Shouyou's toys as possible in an effort to make him cheerup. First flew in the cats, then the colorful owls, and a blackbird. Next Asahi was tossing in his teething rings and his soft, plush blocks. But Shouyou wasn't budging. The longer he looked at Asahi, the more upset he became. Asahi felt tears collecting in the corner of his eyes as well, and blanched.

“Don't cry, Shouyou,” Asahi begged. “Do you want a snack? How about some TV? What shows do you like?”

Shouyou only made a sound akin to the beginnings of a full-out cry-fest making its way known. Asahi panicked and frantically made a grab for one of the toys. He picked up one of the cats, one lidded eye visible and what looked a little terrifying like five-o-clock shadow. It wasn't the cutest cat he'd personally seen but Shouyou apparently liked it if he had it. He frantically began shaking the toy, raising his voice to a high pitch.

“Don't cry, Shouyou,” Asahi said in falsetto. “Don't cry, don't cry! We're going to have tons of fun.”

Shouyou sniffled, but didn't make a move to cry anymore. He rubbed one little fist against his eye and looked up between Asahi and the toy. Asahi shook it a little more, probably too erratically. Asahi pecked Shouyou just under his eye with the plush cat, making an exaggerated kissing noise. Shouyou stared before rubbing his eye again. Asahi repeated the action. A small smile worked its way up on Shouyou's face. He rubbed his other eye and Asahi repeated it again to the other eye. Shouyou giggled, rubbing both eyes now. Asahi pecked both eyes with the cat, hiding a smile behind his hand as Shouyou laughed loudly. He touched his eye and looked at Asahi expectantly. Asahi fulfilled his request. He let the baby take the toy from him. Shouyou cradled it gently against him, stroking the strange swirl of its hair. He pressed his cheek to the top of its head and said something in baby that Asahi didn't understand.

Asahi rested his own cheek on the top of the playpen, reaching over to smooth away Shouyou's bangs from his face. He patted the baby on the head fondly.

“We'll do okay until Kiyoko comes back for lunch, right?” Asahi said, mostly to himself.

Shouyou reached up and petted Asahi on the back of his hand. Well, that was good enough reassurance, Asahi thought.

-

For such a small kid, Shouyou had a strong grip. Asahi had been flitting around the apartment, turning the TV on, and popping in and out of the kitchen to get lunch ready for the two of them. Afterwards he had reached in to change Shouyou. Shouyou had naturally latched on tightly to Asahi's hair and gave a big tug. Asahi winced, trying to insert a finger in the baby's fist in hopes of getting him to loosen his grip. He didn't, only began talking to Asahi as if he could understand.

The changing had gone a little too complicated with Asahi's hair inevitably caught in Shouyou's fist at one point or another. He had to throw the diaper into the trash from where he had Shouyou laying back on, thankful he had made it when it fell in successfully. Asahi gathered the baby up, his legs trying to hook over Asahi's shoulders as he refused to let go of his hair.

It was only with the promise of food that Shouyou had let Asahi's hair stay intact to his skull. Cradled against Asahi's side, he made the spoon whiz up and down before Shouyou willingly took a bite. He kicked his legs in delight. Another spoonful and Shouyou was grabbing for Asahi's hands, trying to eat a little hastier.

“Slow down, Shouyou,” Asahi admonished, laughing. “You might make yourself sick.”

Shouyou said something to him again, probably to tell him that didn't agree with Asahi's advice, and reached for the food himself again. Asahi pulled back each time Shouyou was going to take a bite. Shouyou looked up at him, cautiously opening his mouth and then kicking wildly again when Asahi finally let him eat it.

He rubbed Shouyou's back, making sure he burped before they simply sat down for a while in relative peace. He didn't want to risk jostling Shouyou and making him puke so soon after eating. Shouyou seemed content anyway, for such an active child. Asahi was playing This Little Piggy on his toes, and that was enough entertainment for now. After a good 15 minuets, an idea struck Asahi. Pushing the empty food aside, Asahi slapped his opposite thigh, looking down at Shouyou with what he hoped wasn't a terrifying grin. Shouyou wasn't cowering so it seemed he'd succeeded.

“How'd you like to help me get some work done?” Asahi asked. Shouyou patted him on the chest. Yes, it seemed.

He gathered him up from under his arms. He swung him gently as he sped around the apartment and into the room that was tech meant for him before Kiyoko and he had come to an agreement that they both slept better side by side. He dipped Shouyou before bringing him up. The baby kicked his legs, squealing and making noises for more. Asahi did it again and again, accompanying each lift with a different expression that Shouyou delighted in.

Asahi settled Shouyou onto his lap as he dropped onto his office chair and wheeled them around a few times lazily. He faced forward and hiked the chair up as far as it would go and opened up his laptop. It blinked on as Shouyou stood on Asahi's thighs to get a look at what he was doing.

Asahi clicked open the canvas he was working on. In it was a working sketch of Ami-chan relaying all of her feelings for volleyball and how it felt to be a part of team. In the next panel, Yumi would probably be smiling goodnaturedly, telling Ami that she was being too loud, but not not unaffectionately. Asahi said as much to Shouyou. He brought up the site where he posted his comics, quickly scrolling through them and giving the baby an enthusiastic summary of all he had done.

Perhaps it was stupid, Asahi thought in the back of his mind. Shouyou didn't fully understand anything he was saying. But it was easy to talk to him. He didn't make Asahi feel as though there was a nagging in his head that he was being too weird, too excited about his work. There was no worry that he was overstepping his bounds or being secretly too annoying for all of his enthusiasm. There was never any definitive proof of it, but his mind always provided that extra bit of worry right under the surface. It was sometimes so hard to hear over it.

But the baby only glanced at him now and then, seemingly enraptured with Asahi's own babbling. He was becoming excited simply because Asahi was.

Asahi smiled, tickling under Shouyou's chin. “Its a nice story, don't you think?” Shouyou only smiled.

-

Kiyoko came in a quarter to one with a shopping bag of tonkatsu in her hand. She softly called to Asahi, expecting to see him hovering a bit nervously around Shouyou's playpen, where Shouyou would be gnawing on one of his toys. She found neither. She wandered into the kitchen and didn't find them. Then she wandered into the hall, picking up on Shouyou's gibberish. Peeking into Asahi's room, she spotted Asahi swirling colors on a blank, white canvas as Shouyou reached across the desk and pointed at places on the screen. He took delight in the little burst of color Asahi would provide for wherever he pointed.

Kiyoko pushed her way in, padding quietly up behind him. She laid a soft hand to Asahi's shoulder, feeling him jolt a little. He had a tight fist on the back of Shouyou's shirt to prevent him from slipping out of his lap. He tilted back on his chair, Shouyou tilting with him, and looked up at Kiyoko.

“Oh, Kiyoko. Sorry, I didn't hear you come in. Welcome home,” Asahi said.

“It's fine. I guess you're day went well, huh?” She said, a tad bit teasing.

Kiyoko leaned down and pecked him on the forehead. She leaned around him and did the same to Shouyou. Asahi looked to side in embarrassment. Kiyoko traded the shopping bag in her hand for Shouyou, depositing the food in his lap. Shouyou hooked his hands around Kiyoko's neck as he had earlier that day, a pink hue rising on his cheeks as he grinned at her.

“How did your work come along?” Kiyoko asked.

Asahi made a sheepish expression, maximizing some of the windows. His sketches were still mostly undone, but he had worked on a few ones that made Kiyoko chuckle. A canvas full of what appeared to be a very familiar baby, grinning and laughing was staring back at the three of them. Asahi scratched his cheek.

“Don't tell Takeda-san, okay? I think he'll worry again about this week's deadline,” Asahi admitted. “I'm supposed to be turning out some new pieces for a magazine section.”

Kiyoko made a zipper-motion across her mouth with a smile. She motioned to the food on his lap and the two of them made their way to the kitchen table. Shouyou peeked around Kiyoko's arm to look at Asahi and reach a hand out. Asahi let the baby take a hold of his index finger, meeting Kiyoko's gaze from where he was beaming at him over her shoulder. She had been right all along, after all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr post here-->http://cheshire-ree.tumblr.com/post/142973026548/baby-makes-three-chapter6
> 
> It's the end of the semester for me, and I was briefly frustrated with how I couldn't get a flow going for this chapter why its so late. But here we are! 
> 
> I think canonically Asahi has anxiety. So, I kind of included it here. Asahi does know what he's doing but he's still always nervous the first time around. So that's why I think its good for him to be around Kiyoko! She's much more soft-spoken, but she's a bit bolder than him, too. So they balance each other. They're also queer-platonic in this AU.
> 
> The cat plush is this-->http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=GOODS-00047642.
> 
> Gentle Reminders: Asahi is a webcomic mangaka, he writes a Shoujo/Sports series whose name I have yet to think of, but the main character is named “Ami-chan” jfc. Asahi has babysat before, usually Ryuu & Yuu. Kiyoko is a Physical Therapist (meaning there's little crossovers with other anime, kind of. Patients are charas who messed up their shoulder or their knee or their leg....if you get what I mean). Kuroo is....ahaha I'll get back to you on that. But its pretty much what Yaku is. I need to start planning and writing things down a little better lmaoo.
> 
> Shouyou's quickly approaching his first birthday you know, still a few chapters until then. But a lot to do and develop. Many more characters to return and introduce~ Thanks for reading so far! Next time, I'm pretty sure Kenma will be making a reappearance :D.
> 
> Also I have written an origin story to how Bokuto&Kuroo started dating in this AU! Check it out here--->https://archiveofourown.org/works/6451267
> 
> If you have any ideas or requests you might like to see in this, feel free to suggest or message me!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kenma comes to visit and he’s learned a new word.

Keiji looked down at where Kenma was sitting on his lap. The toddler had been nervous when Keiji had carried him there first. He had taken one look at all the people gathered and his lower lip and trembled with the promise of some fresh tears. Keiji had tucked Kenma’s little head into the crook of his shoulder and gently hushed him as they boarded. Kenma was never good with crowds, and Keiji suspected maybe he never would be. All he could do was at least offer his support to the little boy when he got scared.

Keiji took the only other open seat, next to an elderly lady reading a little book no bigger than her hands. Keiji rested Kenma into his lap, tilting him to the side as he fished out his cellphone and opened up his youtube app. He clicked onto the loaded episodes of a singing cat teaching colors and let Kenma hold it in his little hands. Kenma gladly took it, attention focused solely on the video. Keiji stroked his hair, relieved that he could get Kenma to relax at least.

The train jolted a bit before speeding off. Kenma rocked in Keiji’s arms but barely seemed to noticed. His little finger poked at the red line on the video, rewinding it.

Keiji had to smirk. Kenma was a smart kid.

Maybe he’d have something to lord over pain-in-the-ass-Kuroo a bit.

-

Keiji put Kenma down when they reached the entrance to the apartment buildings. The toddler grabbed onto his pants leg, steadying on his feet. He looked up to Keiji expectantly. Keiji walked forward slowly, taking small steps so that Kenma could keep up. Keiji hooked his fingers under the fabric of Kenma’s hoodie. He was careful as he held it, making sure not to choke Kenma, but keeping a loose grip with the tip of his index finger.

“We’re going to see Shouyou,” Keiji said. “Do you remember Shouyou?”

Kenma tried to repeat the first syllable of Shouyou’s name, repeating it again in a question.

“You’ll know him when you see him,” Keiji said, smiling faintly. “You two had a lot of fun together. He liked that toy you gave him the last time you were over.”

Kenma made a noise that sounded a bit like acknowledgement. Keiji bent to take Kenma into his arms and ascended the stairs to the first door on the second floor. Keiji heaved a loud sigh, mentally preparing himself.

“Don’t mind Bokuto-san, Kenma,” Keiji whispered. “He’s loud but he’s okay.”

Keiji knocked on the door and braced himself. He could hear Bokuto’s voice calling to Kuroo, most likely to take Shouyou from him, and then the heavy sound of his feet on the floor. The door flung open, and Keiji could see the moment Bokuto registered that he was there and Kenma was in his arms. Keiji placed a hand over Kenma’s ear and pressed him against his chest, and set his teeth together, closing his eyes.

“AKAASHI!” Bokuto exclaimed.

Akasshi grunted at the heavy hand knocking against his back and rocking him forward as Bokuto slung an arm around his shoulders and ushered he and Kenma in. He called to Kuroo who peeked around the kitchen corner with Shouyou in hand. The bright-haired baby boy squealed the moment his eyes landed on Kenma, little hands reaching out.

“Hello, Shouyou,” Keiji greeted, waving.

Kenma tried repeating the other baby’s name, half in surprise. He squirmed in Keiji’s grip, wanting to be put down. He tried to say Shouyou’s name again, but it came out more like, “no”.

Shouyou exclaimed something that Keiji assumed was to be Kenma’s name. Keiji bent and put Kenma on his feet. He stumbled back against Keiji’s leg, steadied off and then stood still as he watched Kuroo and Shouyou exit the kitchen. Kuroo came over, depositing Shouyou down on his bum as Kenma hobbled over. He knocked into Shouyou, hugging him awkwardly, but a hug nonetheless. Shouyou clapped, exclaiming. Kenma pulled away, patting at Shouyou’s bright hair.

Kuroo reached down to stroke Kenma’s dark hair. “Well, who do we have here? It’s been a while Kenma.”

Kenma looked up at him, blinking owlishly before falling backwards on his bottom to grab Shouyou’s hands in his. The soft black curtain of his growing hair, swished. He grinned widely, white tops of his primary teeth peeking out. They swung their arms together, cooing along in a tune Keiji belatedly realized was the one Kenma had been listening to on the train over.

“He’s grown a lot since we last saw him,” Kuroo commented, looking at the toddler fondly. “Babies grow so fast.”

“He’s already speaking his first word,” Keiji said, barely hiding his smug grin. “Apparently he preferred ‘No’ to ‘Mommy’ or ‘Daddy’.”

Kuroo grinned a little wolfishly, aware of Keiji’s baiting. He bumped hips with Keiji slinging an arm around his shoulder like Bokuto had and tilting his head down.

“Just you wait, Keiji,” Kuroo snarked. “They’re only a few months apart in age. The gap will close soon enough.”

Keiji huffed a sarcastic breath. “I heard about the jersey incident. I can assure you, Kenma will come out victorious.”

Kuroo’s smile gained more teeth, and Keiji couldn’t help the faint grin back. Keiji’s cool expression may not have revealed how truly competitive he really was. Kuroo had been on the receiving end of that a good number of times all through college and high school. He missed the rush of competition so much.

“We’ll just see what team he choose, then, won’t we?” Kuroo said.

“We should-”

“Guys!” Bokuto interrupted. “You gotta see this!”

Bokuto scooped Kenma up under his arms, little legs swinging as Bokuto jostled him up and down. Shouyou crawled around, trying to reach for Kenma. Keiji quirked an eyebrow.

“Come on, Kenma, come on, Kenmaaaa,” Bokuto said. “Like you did before. Shou-you, Shoooou-you.”

“Sh - Sh- Shouu,” Kenma stuttered through. “Shou-Shou.”

Shouyou pulled at the other boy’s hands, delighted at hearing his name. Bokuto threw his head back and laughed. He fell backwards with Kenma in his arms. Keiji watched Kenma’s eyes bug open, trying to reach out for Keiji until he landed against Bokuto’s chest. Shouyou hurried over, knocking into Kenma.

“Shou!” Kenma exclaimed.

“Kuh! Keh!” Was Shouyou’s only response. He trailed after Kenma and into Bokuto’s lap.

Keiji elbowed Kuroo in the side, shooting him a slide-long smug look. “Two points for Kenma.” Kuroo clicked his tongue but only grinned, not unkindly. Keiji knelt down and took Shouyou into his lap, tickling under his chin as Kenma tried to escape from Bokuto’s lap and join Shouyou on Keiji’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kenma is 12 - 13 months old, and Shouyou is 7. So around now, he’s saying his first word! I wanted Kenma to come back, and finally I’ve been able to write this. 
> 
> I’ve been struggling loool.
> 
> Anyway, as stated previous chapter, you can suggest things if you’d like. It’ll totally help me in the long run. Also, expect a side fic featuring Iwaizumi and his little boy Tobio... sooner or later.
> 
> As always thanks to my friend for answering my baby-related questions with patience, even when I ask the same ones again LOL. Thank youuu.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bokuto begins planning and Shouyou meets a new friend.

 

Bokuto wouldn’t say that he was particularly good at remembering things. He was absent-minded for the most part. If he couldn’t pour his whole mind into a task, he was more than likely going to be split between a bunch of different tasks at once, barely finishing any of them.

This was why Kuroo did a lot of the cooking now. One too many times Bokuto had simply gotten too preoccupied with Shouyou to remember that he had left the stove on, or the faucet running. The most Kuroo would ask for in return was that Bokuto take over most of the diaper changing. (Bokuto could do nothing but wrinkle his nose and agree).

This though was something Bokuto was not going to let fall to the wayside no matter how many things cropped up.

His and Kuroo’s fifth anniversary was coming up fast. With Shouyou having come into their lives so suddenly, sometimes time seemed to have just blurred. Bokuto had been scrolling for the better part of two hours, google search after google search and finding nothing of interest.

He couldn’t very well see him and Kuroo going to some painting class without getting kicked out for being too obnoxious. The same could be said if he chose a museum. The last time either of the had gone to a museum, it had been part of a mutual school assignment in high school. They had spent the better part of the time pointing at art pieces and loudly making up wild tales, only to be asked by the security guard to leave because a bunch of old guys had made stink faces their way the whole time.

Road trips were also out of the question. They’d tried that once, wound up out of gas, lost, and half naked. It had been a great tale at the time, but now that they had a kid, Bokuto was sure Kuroo might actually have an aneurysm instead.

Bokuto flopped backwards in the office chair, letting himself groan loudly. Securing an arm around Shouyou, Bokuto spun them around still groaning pitifully. Bokuto let his head roll back around to stare blankly at his laptop screen.

For all the things that had happened these past few months - moving, job hunting, finding Shouyou, convincing Kuroo to adopt Shouyou with him - Bokuto felt that he had to blow Kuroo away this time. That was always the goal every time, but this time especially. He wanted his boyfriend to know how much he appreciated him and not just because of Shouyou. Kuroo had always been good for him. He helped him focus, encouraged him, made him laugh, and never let him wallow too long in his own miseries.

Bokuto clicked his tongue.

He wouldn’t get to show Kuroo any of that if he didn’t figure something out. It was good that Kuroo was out for the day while Bokuto was off from work to watch Shouyou.

In his lap, Shouyou was digging his feet into Bokuto’s thighs, fussy. He puffed his little cheeks out. Kuroo had dubbed it his “thinking face”, something caught between a mess waiting to be cleaned and their son trying to figure out some great conundrum. Bokuto hoped for the latter. Shouyou made a noise that Bokuto thought might have been frustration as he was unable to get his feet to do whatever he seemed to want them to do. His little hands flapped around, unsure of where to go. He bounced in Bokuto’s lap, frowned, and then made that frustrated noise again.

“I feel that, kiddo,” Bokuto muttered.

Shouyou looked over his shoulder at him, still frowning. He turned himself around in Bokuto’s lap. Little fists dug into Bokuto’s shirt, tugging as if testing the grip. Bokuto rested his arms on the armrests of the office chair.

“You okay there, Shou?”

Shouyou screwed his face up in that thinking face again, looking down at his legs. He moved one leg, then the other, until they were bent at the knees. Shouyou breathed a little harshly through his nose, something that reminded Bokuto of himself. He couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out at that. Shouyou looked back at Bokuto, tugged at his shirt and - tried to stand.

Shouyou wobbled, little legs unused to the weight. He only barely got his bum off of Bokuto’s lap before he was falling back down again. Bokuto squawked, arms flying around Shouyou’s body on instinct. He was about to scold him when he saw Shouyou fix him with a look.

Shouyou didn’t cry, only looked more frustrated that it should have worked the first time he tried. He dug his feet down on the inside of Bokuto’s thighs and tried again. Then fell again.

“Nngh!” Shouyou said. “Nuh!”

Bokuto covered his mouth, unable to not smile. “Kuroo has to see this, oh my god,” He said.

Bokuto propped his phone up against the laptop, turned on the front facing camera and video option, and let Shouyou continue to try and stand.

Bokuto’s only regret was that Shouyou looked downright peeved that he wasn’t standing already. He took a picture of his expression just the same with the caption “He’s starting to look like you” in a message to Kuroo.

-

Hours later, Bokuto was still having no luck on what to do. He had crossed out about twenty different ideas ranging from dog walking to fishing to pottery. In the end, both he and Shouyou had sprawled out on the living room floor, tired and nearly defeated. This was how Kuroo found them when he came home, looking blankly at the cieling.

Kuroo came in that night carrying a grocery bag full of meat buns to share. If Shouyou had been upset before about not being able to stand, he was downright unhappy that he couldn’t yet chew meat buns either.

When they sat to eat dinner that night, a rare night where Bokuto was able to juggle bouncing Shouyou on his hip while also cooking up something other than instant ramen and baby food, Shouyou’s eyes had not left the bag of meat buns.

Kuroo snickered, unfolding one still warm bun and raising it towards his mouth. He looked at his son, watching the baby eye the meatbun, a dribble of drool at the corner of his mouth. When Kuroo opened his mouth to take a bite, Shouyou mimicked him. Bokuto swooped in and stuck a spoonful of baby food into the kid’s mouth. His expression, one of absolute betrayal, was what met them.

Kuroo had to laugh at that.

“I hope he stays this gullible for a while,” Kuroo joked. “Imagine what we could tell him, Kou.”

“Like how the milky way is made out of real milk?” Bokuto added. He swirled the spoon around in the baby food jar, laughing at Shouyou’s distrusting expression.

“Or that chocolate milk comes from chocolate cows,” Kuroo added. “Hey, you think it’s fine if he eats a bit of this? He’s probably sick of those damn peas. I know I am.”

Bokuto shrugged. “He doesn’t have teeth, so you’d have to crush it up, right?”

Kuroo took Shouyou’s bowl in hand, broke off a piece and crushed the soft dough and meat inside until it looked to be as thin and easy to swallow as his baby food. Shouyou’s little tongue peeked out.

“Open up, Squirt,” Kuroo said. “Your taste buds are gonna get a treat today.”

Shouyou’s tiny fists hit the table of his high chair excitedly, opening his mouth eagerly to accept the food. The moment the white of the dough hit his tongue, Shouyou’s eyes widened. He smiled around the spoon, pink gums working at the soft mush before he was fussing for more. Kuroo shook his head as he laughed, scooping up some more to feed Shouyou. Eventually, the baby had just about eaten more than half the whole thing.

Bokuto rested his chin in his hand, watching the two of them. He watched the subtly dip of Kuroo’s eye, lidded over brown eyes as he looked fondly at Shouyou. The slight curve of his smile, usually shit-eating, but so soft now was giving Bokuto a loud thumping in his chest. Even the long curve of Kuroo’s neck didn’t escape Bokuto’s gaze.

He really loved Kuroo. Loved his weird bed-head and terrible humor. Loved his sly ways and infuriating gestures. Loved the way he loved Shouyou and seemed to look so good taking care of their kid.

Bokuto buried his face in his arms with a groan. “Stupid sexy boyfriend,” He muttered to himself.

Kuroo only chuckled, too caught up in wiping Shouyou’s mouth clean and praising him for finishing his meal to hear his boyfriend.

-

A week later found Bokuto and Shouyou alone for the day again. Bokuto felt that if he stayed in the house trying to come up with a plan any longer his head might actually start smoking.

Taking one last look at his laptop, then out the balcony to the large collection of trees in the distance, Bokuto made up his mind.

He dressed Shouyou up in light clothes, enough for him to not feel bogged down in the on-coming summer heat. Then he found the little sun hat Ushiwaka had gifted them a few days ago. He had had Shouyou for the day, tended to a little garden on his balcony and made a fuss about how Shouyou could not properly learn to grow crops if he wasn’t properly dressed, and bout him a wide-brimmed polka dot hat before the day had been done. Bokuto secured the hat to his son’s head, loudly calling his thanks to the floor in hopes that Ushiwaka had heard him.

After making sure he had enough water, formula and diapers in the bag, Bokuto slung the baby bag, strolled on one arm, and then his son in the other and made his way down the stairs. Unfolding the stroller, Bokuto secured the baby in his seat, pulled down on his hat and they both took off to the park.

Bokuto had little care for how populated the park was (moderately and mostly by mother’s who looked over at Bokuto with a double blink of surprise) when he had spotted the swing sets empty and free for the taking. A zap of electricity coursed through Bokuto’s body, tingling to the ends of his hair as he eyed the empty baby swing and seat side by side and ripe for the picking.

Bokuto took the strolled in his hands and and for it. Shouyou cheered, not knowing what was happening but excited just the same.

It took less than two minutes for Bokuto to have Shouyou out of his pram and into the swing before he was trying to plant his behind down in the seat. Shouyou’s eyes widened. He looked at some point behind Bokuto.

It wasn’t until Bokuto’s butt was supposed to meet the seat that a yell ripped its way out from behind him. Bokuto froze, flying away to look down at the seat.

There, glaring up at him with his little fists gripping the swing, was a kid, maybe not that much older than Kenma. He was trying to plant himself on the swing with no luck. But he wasn’t giving the seat up either. His hair was shorn down short, almost bald. Even with as young as Shouyou was, he had a rather wild set of hair on his head. Bokuto wondered if this was a decision on his parents’ part.

Just as Bokuto was about to ask the kid where he came from, a figure ran up. The boy was instantly plucked up by the back of his shirt. He fell back into a pair of arms. The person - a woman - clucked her tongue around a scolding, “Ryuu, no!”

Bokuto blinked. “Hey, aren’t you - Saeko-nee-san?”

“Yo! Long time no see, eh? Sorry for Ryuu, he’s really into swings this month.”  Saeko looked over to Shouyou, gazing between the three of them before he settled on looking curiously at Ryuu. Ryuu didn’t seem to notice, still staring at the swings and then at Bokuto. “Look how much this cutie has grown! Do you remember your nee-san, eh, Shouuu-youuu?”

Ryuu pouted in Saeko’s arms. When Saeko reached over to squeeze Shouyou’s cheeks, he got squished against his sister’s breasts. He pushed at her, kicking to be put down.

  
“All right, all right! Jeeesh,” Saeko muttered. “You’re too small for those, Ryuu, I already told you.”

Ryuu slid down to his feet, teetering on his legs before taking a hold of the swings again. Bokuto snickered, watching as Saeko settled her hands on her hips and fixed the kid with a look.

“He’s so stubborn I swear!” Saeko complained, voice very fond. “We went down the slide together and he tried to take off his shirt. He keeps swinging it around when he gets it of for some reason when he’s excited.”

Shouyou made a noise up where he was seated. Ryuu looked up at him, finally noticing the other baby.

“You,” Ryuu said. He gave a short wave. “Hi.”

“Huh!” Shouyou tried to repeat, warms flailing.

Ryuu raised his arms up, trying to reach for Shouyou who bent over to try and reach back. Ryuu stood up on his tip-toes. Bokuto squawked, gripping the back of the baby’s shirt to keep him upright as the babies’ little hands met in a soft grip.

“Hi,” Ryuu repeated. “Hi.”

“This is Ryuu,” Bokuto said. “Try it Shou, Ree-youuu. Hi Ree-youuu-kun”.

“Rooo,” Shouyou said instead.

Saeko laughed.  “Close enough!” She laid a hand to Ryuu’s head, the child falling back to his feet before trying to reach up again. “Did you make a friend, Ryuu? This is Shou-chan.”

“Shou,” Ryuu said. He waved at the other boy. “Hi.”

“They’re too cute. Who knew Ryuu could be so cute?. Why isn’t Ryuu this cute at home?” Saeko sighed.

Bokuto slipped into the swing while Ryuu was preoccupied. He fit one leg over and then the other, sitting down until the seat groaned under him. Bokuto scooched his legs apart, patting his lap.

“Hey, Ryuu, do you want to swing?” Bokuto asked. “Swing with Shouyou?”

Ryuu looked at Bokuto, then behind to Saeko. His sister nudged him forward, helping him climb up into Bokuto’s lap and turned towards Shouyou so he could see his new friend. Saeko took the boy’s hand and wrapped his little fingers around the chain.

“Hang on tight, Ryuu,” Saeko said. She stepped back, watching Bokuto hold onto Ryuu with one arm around the little boy, and another one gripping the back of Shouyou’s shirt and the swing in the other. Feet still planted to the ground, Bokuto rocked the three of them together.

Shouyou paused, eyes wide as if a great discovery was just made. He met eyes with Ryuu who looked about the same. He was always rather amazed by swings. They looked to each other before squealing in delight. Saeko and Bokuto laughed, pointing to the now empty seesaw and wondering what else both babies might get a kick out of.

It wasn’t until Shouyou had begun to yawn, and Ryuu too by association, that Bokuto realized that all that great idea thinking he thought he might get while he and Shouyou would be rocking on the slide had brought up nothing.

He looked at Shouyou reluctantly letting go of Ryuu’s hand, the sleepy droop of his eyes. Ryuu was fighting sleep in Saeko’s arms, too, repeating Shouyou’s name before burying his face into Saeko’s neck.

Bokuto shrugged. His son had made a new friend. That was still an accomplishment if there ever was one.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahaaa, long time no see? It’s literally been a year
> 
> I finally got off my ass and updated! Shouyou is about 8 now, and is going to try to learn to stand. It’s still pretty early but doesn’t mean he won’t try. Last chapter he was 7 months, so I’d like to think every chapter he gains another month, unless stated otherwise.
> 
> Side stories pending, one with Iwaizumi & Tobio, and some with the pre-school teachers Suga & Oikawa. Whether I make Bokuto & Kuroo’s anniversary a chapter or a side piece, I’m still debating.
> 
> Any suggestions on how Bokuto & Kuroo spend their anniversary?
> 
> Anyway, I’m REALLY sorry for the long wait. I fandom hop a lot.
> 
> Feel free to remind me to update my fics at my twitter (@cheshireree) or my tumblr (cheshire-ree.tumblr.com).


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroo, Bokuto and Shouyou celebrate father's day. Bokuto deals with some things he usually pushes aside.

In all of Kuroo’s 23 years, he hadn’t thought that he would become a dad so soon. Sure, it had often been a bit of a team joke back in high school. Captains and Co-Captains often got the short end of the stick there. They had to watch over pesky teammates and underclassmen, after all. If anything, Kuroo and Yaku had spent more time mother-henning than anything else.

It was just that Kuroo hadn’t really cared much to think of the long term. He had only loved volleyball. What else could there have been? He’d turned down date after date all through high school and college, focused solely on the feeling of the ball against his wrist and hand, the golden stare of a certain loud-mouthed rival from the other side of the net.

The Kuroo of before would have simply laughed. A relationship, and a steady one at that with his greatest rival? A child? A job? Not a thought meant to cross Kuroo’s mind for some time yet.

If he did settle down and become a family man, he just had expected that maybe he would be much older, already with a steady job and with less cool hair. Hell, even a couple college volleyball trophies under his belt and a couple notches in his bedpost.

(Kuroo wasn’t sure what it said about him that he wasn’t bitter about this).

But here he was, looking through the store at the little corner displaying sales items for father’s.

Shouyou was still a good number of years behind being able to create his own father’s day gifts. He was still a little too early to even say papa (not that the squirt wasn’t trying). Even the thought of Shouyou one day folding his own little card, pictures of both he and Bokuto scribbled on the front and presenting it to them was making Kuroo’s heart do a funny little jig. Mothers and children walked around him, curiously shooting him looks as he tried to hold back a rather ugly smile as he eyed the pictures of bibs and shirts in the display reading, “Dad’s Number One Guy” on the front.

Kuroo grinned wryly, taking up a number #1 dad’s cup, and a coupon for meat in his hands.

Even in volleyball, tides could turn suddenly. If you weren’t flexible, you would get left behind. If Bokuto’s words were anything to go by - off and on the court - Kuroo excelled in flexibility. He snatched up a couple bibs before he headed to the deli.

-

Kuroo wouldn’t consider himself much of a chef, but looking at the deep fried meat fresh off the mini grill, still bubbling under the fresh sauce he had layered it with, and the mishmash of vegetables and rice and whatever else he had thrown together, was looking pretty good right now. Kuroo looked down at Shouyou, sitting contently in his high chair with an “I Love Dad” big around his neck. Folded neatly on the table was a paper card that Kuroo, and maybe Shouyou, had constructed. Kuroo had done the hard part, the folding, the actual legible writing, pasting the family photo on the inside. The nonsensical scribbles, done with uncoordinated baby hands unused to writing had been Shouyou’s contribution. It definitely didn’t say “I love you dad” or “happy father’s day”, but Kuroo was certain Bokuto would love it just the same. The #1 Dad Mug had made its way before Bokuto’s favorite seat at the table, new sweatbands stuffed to the brim inside of it.

Kuroo bent down to kiss each of Shouyou’s cheeks, ginning when Shouyou pressed a messy, mostly wet kiss against Kuroo’s jaw. Kuroo chuckled, wiping his chin with the bib.

“Make sure you save some of those for, Daddy,” Kuroo joked.

At a quarter to 6, Bokuto finally stumbled in. The smile that as breaking out on Kuroo’s face almost completely fell when he spotted the frown on Bokuto’s face.

“Kou?” Kuroo called. He stood up from the table, watching as his boyfriend toed off his shoes at the door and approached he and Shouyou. Bokuto bent and kissed Shouyou first, then pulled Kuroo in for one of his own. Kuruoo moved his lips over Bokuto’s feeling his boyfriend’s sigh. Kuroo dug his fingers into Bokuto’s forearms when Bokuto pulled away, holding him close. “You okay, big boy?”

Bokuto’s lips quirked, trying for a smile. “Never better, babe,” Bokuto said. A little more light found its way into Bokuto’s eyes. “You cook all this for me? Dude, this looks _good_!”

Kuroo watched Bokuto circling around Shouyou’s high chair, pulling himself up to the table. He wanted to say something, press him harder, but Kuroo also knew this wasn’t the time. He would wait until later when Bokuto was more calm. Kuroo sat down and they shared the food, Shouyou’s mouth watering at the sight of the beef. He made a noise in frustration at being stuck with mashed up vegetables instead.

-

Later, when Shouyou had been bathed, cradled against Bokuto’s chest and the bracket of Kuroo’s legs in the bathtub, and then rocked to sleep in the comfort of Bokuto’s arms, laid in his crib with the whisper of I love you in his ear, Kuroo finally caught Bokuto alone. He was sitting on the couch, elbows digging into his knees as he cracked open the card Kuroo and Shouyou had made. Kuroo stood a few feet before him, letting the myriad of emotions play over his boyfriend’s face. Bokuto ran his thumb over Shouyou’s scribbles and the photo of the three of them placed in the middle.

It was rare that Kuroo saw Bokuto like this.

Usually he had such a bounce to him, shot back up even when he was discouraged. There were times he had been brought down, Kuroo knew. Volleyball didn’t come without its heartache. Even in the beginning when they had dated, there were times they couldn’t sync just right.

But this, though, Kuroo knew this was more than just a bad day. Kuroo sat down next to Bokuto.

“Talk to me, Koutarou,” Kuroo said. “Tell me what’s happening.”

Bokuto twiddled his thumbs, tracing over the characters for dad under his fingers. He didn’t look at Kuroo.

“Remember what I told you happened to my dad?” Bokuto started. “How he -?”

Kuroo frowned. How could he forget? His father had passed suddenly when Bokuto was barely 9 years old. He had left a grief-stricken mother, a two-year old, and Bokuto, just a week before his elementary school volleyball match. His mother had had to scrape by for some time. Bokuto had had to stop going to volleyball practice until middle school. He had grown up bragging to his sister all the things their dad had done, all his jokes, his quirks, his memories because she didn’t have any.

Bokuto had never spoken much on the subject, so Kuroo had never thought to bring it up. It was just one of those things Bokuto refused to acknowledge if he didn’t have to.

Looking back, Kuroo had to wonder how many holidays and matches over the years Bokuto had had to live through with the knowledge that his dad wouldn’t be there. His dad wouldn’t see him win Nationals, graduate high school or college, bring home Kuroo to meet his folks, spend father’s day with him - meet Shouyou.

Kuroo bumped shoulders with Bokuto.

“I do,” Kuroo said. “You know I do.”

Bokuto nodded. “Yeah.” He opened the card again, tracing over his own face with the nail of his thumb. “Sucks sometimes,” Bokuto joked weakly. “Just - sucks sometimes.”

Kuroo leaned into his boyfriend’s side, nosing at his jaw. He waited for Bokuto to finish. Bokuto rarely spilled these things. He wasn’t known for his overpowering enthusiasm for nothing. He had known grief. Focusing on what he could do, what could drive him forward even when he felt otherwise had always been his way. Kuroo supposed it was time Bokuto stopped running a little bit, too.

“Shouyou had a dad before us,” Bokuto said. “He had a dad. Do you think he knows Shouyou even exists? Do you think - he cares?”

Kuroo frowned, shrugging a little. “I can’t answer that. I don’t know. Does it matter?”

“Little bit. I mean, this whole time i didn’t really think about it, you know? He’s ours and we take care of him and when I say ‘Look Papa is home!’ He knows I mean you,” Bokuto continued. “But today, I guess it just dawned on me. There was a guy at the store asking his kid what he wanted to get his grandpa and it just - hit me.”

“Shouyou’ll never meet him, Tetsu,” Bokuto said, voice cracking. “He’ll never meet Dad. We still haven’t even told our folks yet. How - “

Kuroo took both of Bokuto’s cheeks into his hands, pressing his face in between his palms until Bokuto couldn’t keep talking. He let up when Bokuto took a breath. Kuroo leaned in until both their noses touched.

“Your dad would be proud of you, you know,” Kuroo said, cutting off Bokuto’s thoughts. “You told me all about him. He would proud to know how you saved that squirt’s life, how you put him at the top of your list all the time. Even if Shouyou can’t meet your dad, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t already have a great dad right here.”

Bokuto wiped at his eyes with his sleeve, cracking a smile. “Really?”

“Heck yeah,” Kuroo said. “Have you seen me? I’m awesome.”

Bokuto laughed then, forehead dropping down onto Kuroo’s shoulders as he shook with mirth. He wrapped his arms around Kuroo’s torso, pulling him in against him. Kuroo tucked himself against Bokuto’s chest, cradling his boyfriend’s head in his hands. He kissed at Bokuto’s cheeks, at the corners of his mouth and then at the bow of his lips.

“You’re a great Daddy, Kou,” Kuroo said. “Shouyou’s a real lucky ass kid. And I'm really lucky to have you, too.”

“We’re not done talking about this, though, Kou. I think you’ve been bottling it up too much,” Kuroo said.

Bokuto sighed, flopping back against the couch, Kuroo going with him. Kuroo leaned up on his elbows, fitted between Bokuto’s legs. He hummed.

“You know, now that Shouyou’s asleep,” Kuroo began. “I can give you the other gift I was saving for you.”

“You mean other than the sweatbands?” Bokuto asked.

Kuroo pulled his shirt from out of his shorts, letting the hem slide up over the lean muscle of his stomach. A sly look came over Kuroo’s face, one eye shadowed by his bangs and the long curve of his lashes. Bokuto grinned wildly.

“ _Oh_ ,” Was all he said, before he pulled Kuroo in for a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to post this yesterday but I was busy. But I couldn't not update for father's day esp since it would be bokuro's first father's day. Meant to keep it fluffy and cute, but really considered what it would be like to explore different parts of kuroo and bokuto and theirs pasts. for this fic only, bokuto is raised by a single mother and his dad passed away as when he was little. It definitely leaves him feeling insecure at the back of his mind.
> 
> [Consider giving me a coffee!](https://www.ko-fi.com/cheshireree) .


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bokuto and Kuroo's fifth anniversary is finally here!

This was it. Anniversary day. The day Kuroo and Bokuto had been dating. Five years to the day. A whole hand. Hopefully one hand of many hands in a long line of hands -

 

Bokuto’s head threatened to hurt. He looked over at Kuroo, who had turned to face him in the night. The long hair of his bangs were pinned back for the night, giving way to a perfect view of his face. Bokuto didn’t think he’d ever get tired of Kuroo’s face, of Kuroo’s anything. Five years and there was no one that made Bokuto’s heart beat quite so fast and loud in his chest. Kuroo was it for him, Bokuto knew. 

 

Bokuto had discreetly gotten Shouyou out the door for a playdate with Kenma that morning, having arranged with Akaashi to bum at Yaku’s for a little while with the two kids to let Kuroo sleep in for a little bit. Usually Kuroo woke at the slightest noise of Shouyou’s cooing. But maybe Bokuto had also been a little sly (he could be sly!) and convinced Kuroo to take a couple sips of alcohol the night previous because Bokuto was going to take care of everything. Kuroo hadn’t drunk nearly even that much, but he’d gotten drowsy enough to roll over in the bed and doze off while Bokuto and Shouyou had gone on a night run to the konbini. The only regret Bokuto kind of had was that when they’d crept back in, Shouyou had quietly said “daadaa” when Bokuto told him to say goodnight to Papa.

 

Bokuto had had to suck his lips inside of his mouth and swallow the squeals that threatened to break out. He held Shouyou close, did a quick fast-walk lap around the bedroom and then exited towards the living room. He raised Shouyou up from under his arms like Rafiki and pretended he kind of wasn’t misty eyed. 

 

Wait, where was Bokuto again? Right. Fifth anniversary, Kuroo sleeping in, Kuroo was beautiful. Bokuto curled up around his boyfriend, delighted when he curled back, his head automatically moving to lay across Bokuto’s chest. Bokuto held the back of Kuroo’s head, scratching into the soft hairs at the back of his head and drifted off again.

 

-

 

“Kou,” Kuroo called. “Koutarou.”

 

Bokuto woke up, squinting into the room as he turned to look down at Kuroo still pillowed on his chest. A neutral look was on his face. It still made the back of Bokuto’s neck tingle with a slight fear. Even if Kuroo wasn’t giving anything away with his expression, a certain silent danger seemed to dance in the air between them. He had only the vaguest recollection of this. Part of Bokuto had thought that maybe it had been when they’d faced off on the court, looking between the net at each other; challenge and determination clear. This, though, reminded Bokuto more of a storm in waiting. 

 

Kuroo rolled over until they were chest to chest, laid his long fingers over Bokuto’s clavicle. Any other time, Bokuto might have felt a heat in his gut, grinned slyly at his boyfriend. He was cold instead. Kuroo’s eyes flitted to the side. Where Shouyou’s crib was, Bokuto realized.

 

“Where is Shouyou?” Kuroo asked.

 

“Uh -” Bokuto started. 

 

Kuroo tilted his chin up, eyes shadowed under his long bangs as he looked down over at Bokuto. Bokuto internally screamed.

 

Tentatively, Bokuto took Kuroo’s hand in his, kissed the palm. He smiled a little sheepishly. 

 

“He’s at a playdate with Kenma and Akaashi. I asked them so you would get to sleep in?” Bokuto said. He pressed a kiss to Kuroo’s forehead. “Uhh, Happy Anniversary?”

 

Kuroo’s eyes flew open and he rolled away, falling onto his back next to Bokuto on the bed. He dug the heels of his palms into his eyes as he groaned louder in agony. He flopped over again so an arm was thrown over Bokuto’s torso. Kuroo pressed his face into his boyfriend’s side with a dying whine.

 

“I forgot. Ughh, I forgot,” Kuroo said. “I’m sorry, Kou. Shit -”

 

“Hey, bro, hey,” Bokuto said. He gathered his boyfriend up in his arms and peppered his face with kisses. He kept kissing him even as Kuroo tried to lean away, whining to be let go. “It’s okay, bro. I know you’ve been busy.”

 

“Still,” Kuroo muttered angrily to himself. “I even had your gift and everything, I just - the days got away from me. I knew it was soon, but I -”

 

“Dude! I’m serious. Relax. Sleep-in, I was gonna cook you breakfast in bed, then we were gonna meet Akaashi and Kenma and Shouyou in the park and have a little volleyball fun. No biggie,” Bokuto said. 

 

Kuroo looked still ready to protest, his eyebrows smushed together in frustration. Kuroo was usually the one who had rarely forgotten these things. Bokuto knew it was probably why he was beating himself up over this. Bokuto leaned in to kiss him again, then again, until the furrow between his brows smoothed out and Kuroo was sighing.

 

“You had me at breakfast,” Kuroo said. He dug his foot into Bokuto’s side and roughly nudged him from the bed. “Well, get to you.”

 

Bokuto threw his hands up in defeat, scooching out of bed. Kuroo blew him a cheeky kiss from where he was still tangled in the bed sheets. Bokuto huffed and made his way to the kitchen. 

 

Kuroo took his phone up from the side table and pulled up Akaashi’s number. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Akaashi, but it didn’t hurt to check in, either. The reply was thankfully quick. Kuroo laid back with a relieved sigh.

 

Thirty minutes later, some singed eggs and bacon, but surprisingly good toaster waffles later, Kuroo had breakfast in bed. The cup of instant coffee was a nice touch, too. 

 

Bokuto might have even called it a success if he didn’t have to fight Kuroo to share the breakfast with him.

 

-

 

Kuroo had realized how tired he was until he had hot food in his belly and a warm body around his own. It had been one of the things that had gotten Kuroo going in the early years of his crushing. The time they had faced off across the court, gone to training camp together - whenever Bokuto had slung an arm over Kuroo’s shoulders, he had erupted in unbearable warmth. It had rocketed up from inside of him, slammed through him until he was craving that the other man would never let go. The hardest parts back then was when inevitably, they had had to part. Fast forward to college, and, to Kuroo’s incredible delight, Bokuto had become so much more handsy (and he was handsy already). He had reveled in it, drank it in, and slept bundled in sheets and blankets hoping to recreate the feeling. Now, though, it was all his, whenever, wherever. Cradled in Bokuto’s arms, Kuroo’s head dropped, once, twice, until he was pillowing his cheek against his boyfriend’s chest, and gone again. 

 

When Kuroo woke again, disoriented and with a spot of drool on his cheek, it was to Bokuto grinning down at him, his pale eyebrows bouncing on his face. Kuroo made a judging face, lips pursed and pushed out as he hummed. 

 

“What do you have planned, Kou?” Kuroo asked. He didn’t bother to rise out of the comfort of his boyfriend’s arms.

 

Bokuto shrugged. “Oh you know, thought you’d like to do a little back and forth in the park. Akaashi’s gonna meet us there with Shouyou and Kenma. Why not show our little nugget how good his daddy is?”

 

Kuroo curled his lips into a devious smile, eyes lidded under the mess of his bangs. Bokuto’s heartbeat jolted under his hands. Bokuto almost seemed to vibrate “I’m going to wreck you, Kou,” was all Kuroo said.

 

They jumped out of bed and hurriedly put on their sweats and tshirts. They slipped on their knee pads and zipped up their volleyball bags. Grabbing a couple waters, Kuroo walked up to Bokuto at the front door and bent down for a kiss. He petted his shoulder.

 

“Alright, I’m ready. Prepare to be humiliated in front of our son,” Kuroo said.

 

They raced down the stairs, nearly running Ushiwaka over, and down the pathway towards the park.

 

-

 

Summer in Tokyo was no joke. Even having lived there their whole lives, Bokuto and Kuroo couldn’t help but feel the sting of it along their skin. Years of high school and college training in this heat, the suicide runs, the training until their limbs were jelly, it was still there yelling under their skin. They might have slowed down a bit now, with a kid in their lives, but Kuroo knew Bokuto was still doing pushups with Shouyou on his back, and Kuroo himself was doing morning jobs with Shouyou strapped to his chest. It was just a matter of also carrying around a baby bag and making sure the poor kid didn’t overheat. 

 

Speaking of poor kid, Kuroo’s eyes had immediately zeroed in on Shouyou the moment they’d entered the park and Bokuto had lead them to the volleyball net on the other side of the park.  He broke away from Bokuto’s side to walk up to the little group. Bokuto squawked behind him. Surrounded by the shade of trees and holding hands on a little picnic blanket were Shouyou and Kenma. Kenma could walk now, though he seemed reluctant to move much. Meanwhile Shouyou was doing his damndest best to copy him. Instead, Kenma had wandered back from over at Akaashi to plop down before the other baby and take Shouyou’s hands in his. Kuroo cooed to himself, watching them swing their little hands together, singing some song in baby speak. Akaashi waved a hand.

 

“Happy anniversary, Pain-in-the-butt-Kuroo-san,” Akaashi greeted. He took out a juice bag for Kenma, piercing it with a straw.  “You look rested.”

 

Kuroo smile-sneered, muttering about cheeky brats despite only being a year apart in age. Kuroo bent to kiss Shouyou’s head, receiving a delight  babble in return.

 

“Miss me, shortstack? DId you give Akaashi trouble just for me?” Kuroo asked.

 

“Thankfully, despite taking after Bokuto-san’s hyperactive ways - he was very good,” Akaashi answered with a faint smirk. “Not at all a pain in the butt.”

 

“You wait till he starts talking, I’m going to teach him Akaashi is a -” 

 

“SHOUYOU!” Bokuto howled. 

 

Shouyou screeched back in reply, startling all three of them. He hastened to try and stand, even as Kenma seemed to become mildly panicked by it, holding out his hands for Shouyou. Bokuto bounded over, swiping his son up and twirling him around before planting a series of messy kisses to his brow. The baby laughed, clapping his hands and grinning. Bokuto cradled him in one arm, and stuck his hand into his pocket. “Got you a present little dude,” Bokuto said. “Make sure you root for Dad, ya got it?”

 

Kuroo made an indignant noise when Bokuto brandished a Fukurodani jersey. Bokuto only cackled in return, sliding off his son’s kitty shirt to pull the Fukurodani Number One jersy onto him. On the back it read SHOUYOU. Before Kuroo could protest, Akaashi was piping up, “Kick his butt, Bokuto-san. Just like at Nationals.”

 

“Just for that, I’m claiming Kenma for Nekoma,” Kuroo swore. He slipped off his old sweatbands and handed it to Kenma. The boy seemed mesmerized for a moment, before he was cradling it against his chest. 

 

Akaashi glared at him. “You’ll pay for this.”

 

Kuroo paused as he watched Bokuto passed Shouyou back to Akaashi, patting the baby’s head fondly. Kuroo frowned, looking between Bokuto and the court and back.

 

“Koutarou,” Kuroo started. “You realize we don’t exactly have a setter to be able to compete against each other with?”

 

Bokuto grinned slyly. “They’re on their way, don’t worry. A bunch of the old gang are coming to have a bit of fun. But in the meantime, I kinda gotta get something off my chest.” He bent to rifle through his gym back, brows furrowed as he inspected the volleyball in their. 

 

“I hope it’s your shirt,” Kuroo muttered. 

 

“Can you go check Shouyou’s jersey real quick?” Bokuto asked. He didn’t look up at Kuroo, instead still raking his fingers over the smooth surface of the ball, his face suspiciously red even for it being so hot.

 

“Uh, sure,” Kuroo replied.

 

Kuroo knelt down, taking Shouyou in hand. He cradled the baby in the crook of his arm and patted over the jersey. His hand hit something oddly square shaped and placed within - a pocket? Why did Shouyou’s jersey have a pocket? Dipping his long fingers in, Kuroo drew out a little velvet box. Akaashi grinned at him, kind and faint, as he drew Kenma into his lap. He motioned for him to look back at Bokuto. Standing back up, Kuroo looked over at Bokuto who had come to stand next to him, too, holding the volleyball in hand. 

 

“Open the box, bro,” Bokuto said softly.

 

Kuroo did. Inside was a single silver bang, the design crisscrossing on the top of it like an infinity sign, polished and new. Shouyou’s little hand touched it. Kuroo had no words. He suddenly felt like he was out of body in the moment he had taken to inhale a breath. Bokuto knelt down to one knee, turning the volleyball over until some scribbled words -  _ My Team is Incomplete Without You - _ looked back at him.  Kuroo’s whole being rushed back into him when he exhaled. HIs knees almost buckled, and he tightened his grip on Shouyou.

 

“Kou -” Kuroo started, voice already wobbly.

“Tetsu,” Bokuto began. “You really had me from the first time we faced off, you know? I don’t think there’s anyone in the whole world that gets me fired up like you. You spiked me right in my heart, bro. It’s like winning nationals every time I see you.”

 

Kuroo knew he was crying ugly by now, wiping his face off with his sleeve, still cradling Shouyou and the rip in each hand. He murmured Bokuto’s name faintly. Bokuto grinned, wide and bright in that way that Kuroo knew he was never going to be able to look away from even the first moment they’d met.

 

“Will you marry me, Tetsurou? My team’s kind of incomplete without you.”

 

Kuroo staggered forward , knees buckling as Bokuto caught the three of them, pressing Kuroo’s face into his neck and wrapping his arm around Shouyou so he stayed pressed against his chest. Kuroo pounded a fist - the one with the ring box still clutched in it - against Bokuto’s back.

 

“You one-upped me, you jerk,” Kuroo said. “How am I supposed to top this?”

 

“By saying yes,” Akaashi called out from behind him.

 

If his hands weren’t full and there weren’t questionable, impressionable minds present, Kuroo might have flipped him off. Pulling away to lean his head against Bokuto’s shoulder, Kuroo looked at Shouyou.

 

“You think I should, Shou?” Kuroo asked.

 

Shouyou grinned, and muttered a quiet, “Dada”. Bokuto felt more than saw Kuroo’s jaw drop. Kuroo pushed him back, refusing to disconnect fully, and took Shouyou’s chubby cheeks in his hands. 

 

“You - Shouyou, you said your first word!” Kuroo cried “Kou, he said it!”

 

“Said it this morning actually,” Bokuto admitted. “But I’m glad our kid always has such great timing, eh?”

 

Kuroo elbowed him. “Well, Shouyou’s spoken, so I really gotta accept now.” 

 

Kuroo slipped on the ring on his finger. Cradling the back of Bokuto’s head, he pulled him forward, paused a moment to put a hand over Shouyou’s eyes, and drew Bokuto in for a long kiss. He sniffled into it, felt Bokuto laugh against his lips and pressed harder against his fiancee.

 

“Oi, is Shouyou wearing a Fukurodani jersey?”

 

Kuroo only kissed Bokuto harder until all three of them were toppling over and Daichi was rushing forward with a squawk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there, long-ish time no see. I've been working on zine pieces, but I haven't forgotten about this. I've been agonizing over what they should do for their anniversary. Aaand a friend and I decided ---> engagement lolol.
> 
> Weddings cost A LOT. So they aren't going to be getting married for a WHILE. Like, a while a while. Shouyou will probably turn one before they get married. 
> 
> I feel like I upped the bro-ing in this fic but that's because I really love Craig in DDADDS an I couldn't help myself. 
> 
>  
> 
> [Coffee Please?](https://ko-fi.com/A636ZNS)


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